SANGAM PRASAIN
KATHMANDU, APR 14 -
State-owned oil monopoly Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) is struggling to ensure smooth supplies of petroleum products as promised loans from the Ministry of Finance (MoF) have not materialised.
Long queues are back at gasoline stations across the country after cash-strapped NOC cut deliveries.
The MoF has provided Rs 500 million out of the Rs 1.5 billion pledged citing lack of resources. NOC has said that there would be an acute shortage of fuel if the government doesn’t provide the committed credit. The government has so far given Rs 2.44 billion to NOC to import oil this fiscal year.
MoF officials said the ministry had no money in its contingency budget. With two major P1 projects, Sikta Irrigation Project and Mid-Hills Highway, also seeking additional resources, officials said the ministry can’t provide the committed loans to the NOC.
“There is no money in the contingency budget,” said Bodh Raj Niraula, chief of the ministry’s budget department. “Even for Sikta and the Mid-Hills Highway, we’re struggling to provide additional resources.” Sikta has sought Rs 250 million more while the Mid-Hills Highway had asked for another Rs 1 billion two months ago. “If we had resources, we could have provided the money to these high-priority projects,” said Niraula.
Even after getting Rs 500 million, NOC is seeking another Rs 1 billion to pay its supplier Indian Oil Corporation (IOC). “The supply will return to normal only if NOC gets additional resources,” said Ganesh Dhakal, spokesman at the Ministry of Commerce and Supplies.
NOC’s monthly import bill comes to Rs 5 billion and it makes monthly payments to IOC in four installments. It had paid IOC Rs 2.2 billion till the second week of April. “NOC still owes Rs 1.07 billion,” said Bachhu Kumar Kafle, NOC deputy general manager.
NOC cannot adjust the price of petroleum products until the high-level committee on NOC submits its report. Company officials said the government should finance oil imports till then.
NOC’s loss for April is estimated to amount to Rs 1.76 billion at current prices. Its losses are expected to mount after IOC sends its revised petroleum prices on April 16.
As per the rates of April 1, NOC is incurring losses of Rs 3.75 per litre on petrol, Rs 21 on diesel, Rs 11 on kerosene and Rs 288 per cylinder on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). Aviation fuel is the only product on which NOC is making a profit.
NOC officials said IOC’s new price would increase its losses, but the supply of LPG and aviation fuel would be normal. “The only problem is with diesel which accounts for more than two-thirds of the imports and losses of over Rs 1.42 billion,” an NOC official said. The loss on diesel has increased from Rs 19 to Rs 20.96 per litre, according to NOC.
NOC officials admitted that imports had been slashed but the supply hadn’t been cut. “The queues at the gasoline pumps in Kathmandu on Wednesday was due to the public holiday on Tuesday,” said Kafle. “We have directed the Thankot depot to supply adequate fuel on Wednesday.”
Thankot depot had supplied 300 kl of petrol and about 30 tankers of diesel on Wednesday which is the usual daily requirement of the Kathmandu Valley.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
BBC, CNN agree to cut rates for NTY promo
SANGAM PRASAIN
KATHMANDU, APR 12 -
The BBC and CNN have agreed to cut their advertising tariff in response to Nepal’s plea that it lacked adequate funds to promote Nepal Tourism Year in the international market.
The BBC has slashed the rate to Rs 24 million from Rs 44 million for its four-month package while CNN has also agreed in principle to reduce the tariff. “CNN is also positive about reducing the tariff,” said Ranjit Acharya, a member of the NTY international promotion committee. The promotion committee had allocated Rs 36 million for CNN and it has requested that the price be decreased to Rs 16 million. The committee said that it would receive confirmation from CNN on Monday. Earlier, both networks had proposed Rs 80 million for the purpose.
The government has allocated a budget of Rs 130 million to publicise the NTY campaign at the international level. Of which, Rs 60 million has been set aside for India, Rs 30 million for China and the rest for other source markets. The government has allocated the funds for the Business-to-Consumer (B2C) strategy promotion, which means going through the media and other means of communication.
With the budget being short to carry out the promotion programme in other source markets, particularly in Europe and the US, the committee had requested the BBC and CNN to reduce the tariff. “The BBC has already prepared an advertisement of Nepal,” Acharya said. The BBC had also broadcast the inauguration of NTY without charge for seven days, Acharya added.
The NTY promotion committee plans to use the allocated funds for international promotion in three sections. The promotion in India will be held during the summer (April-June) targeting the Indian holiday season. The package named “Summer spender” will be launched through TV, newspapers, hoarding boards and online media. As of now, the committee has received proposals from India Today, a weekly newsmagazine in English, and Dainik Jagaran, a newspaper published in Hindi.
Similarly, advertising agencies Triton, Series, Om Tourism and Agencies and Digitainment have submitted their proposals. The committee has planned the promotion programme in India from mid-May. To compete with other Asian countries and draw large numbers of Indian tourists during the summer, the NTY promotion committee is coming up with special packages.
Climate-wise, the best time to attract Indians is during the summer. According to the UN World Tourism Organization, India is one of the fastest growing outbound tourist markets and will account for 50 million outbound tourists by 2020.
Currently, 12 million Indians travel to different countries annually. Nepal had received 104,470 Indian visitors among 448,769 visitors from around the world last year who came here by air. The number was up 20 percent against the corresponding period last year. Indian arrivals in the first three months of NTY have reached 26,144, up 34 percent against the same period last year. The promotion in China will be held during June-July. For NTY promotion in China, two Nepali and three Indian advertising agencies have submitted their proposals. Chinese arrivals to Nepal increased 22 percent in the first three months of 2011. The country received 10,293 tourists as of March.
Though international promotion had been slated to start before the launch of NTY, late budget allocation delayed the plan. Similarly, the government’s long bidding process as per the Public Procurement Act to obtain the TOR had delayed the promotional campaign, said an NTY member.
KATHMANDU, APR 12 -
The BBC and CNN have agreed to cut their advertising tariff in response to Nepal’s plea that it lacked adequate funds to promote Nepal Tourism Year in the international market.
The BBC has slashed the rate to Rs 24 million from Rs 44 million for its four-month package while CNN has also agreed in principle to reduce the tariff. “CNN is also positive about reducing the tariff,” said Ranjit Acharya, a member of the NTY international promotion committee. The promotion committee had allocated Rs 36 million for CNN and it has requested that the price be decreased to Rs 16 million. The committee said that it would receive confirmation from CNN on Monday. Earlier, both networks had proposed Rs 80 million for the purpose.
The government has allocated a budget of Rs 130 million to publicise the NTY campaign at the international level. Of which, Rs 60 million has been set aside for India, Rs 30 million for China and the rest for other source markets. The government has allocated the funds for the Business-to-Consumer (B2C) strategy promotion, which means going through the media and other means of communication.
With the budget being short to carry out the promotion programme in other source markets, particularly in Europe and the US, the committee had requested the BBC and CNN to reduce the tariff. “The BBC has already prepared an advertisement of Nepal,” Acharya said. The BBC had also broadcast the inauguration of NTY without charge for seven days, Acharya added.
The NTY promotion committee plans to use the allocated funds for international promotion in three sections. The promotion in India will be held during the summer (April-June) targeting the Indian holiday season. The package named “Summer spender” will be launched through TV, newspapers, hoarding boards and online media. As of now, the committee has received proposals from India Today, a weekly newsmagazine in English, and Dainik Jagaran, a newspaper published in Hindi.
Similarly, advertising agencies Triton, Series, Om Tourism and Agencies and Digitainment have submitted their proposals. The committee has planned the promotion programme in India from mid-May. To compete with other Asian countries and draw large numbers of Indian tourists during the summer, the NTY promotion committee is coming up with special packages.
Climate-wise, the best time to attract Indians is during the summer. According to the UN World Tourism Organization, India is one of the fastest growing outbound tourist markets and will account for 50 million outbound tourists by 2020.
Currently, 12 million Indians travel to different countries annually. Nepal had received 104,470 Indian visitors among 448,769 visitors from around the world last year who came here by air. The number was up 20 percent against the corresponding period last year. Indian arrivals in the first three months of NTY have reached 26,144, up 34 percent against the same period last year. The promotion in China will be held during June-July. For NTY promotion in China, two Nepali and three Indian advertising agencies have submitted their proposals. Chinese arrivals to Nepal increased 22 percent in the first three months of 2011. The country received 10,293 tourists as of March.
Though international promotion had been slated to start before the launch of NTY, late budget allocation delayed the plan. Similarly, the government’s long bidding process as per the Public Procurement Act to obtain the TOR had delayed the promotional campaign, said an NTY member.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Second International Airport to be on the runway by 2015
SANGAM PRASAIN
KATHMANDU, APR 11 -
If all goes well, construction of the much talked about Second International Airport (SIA) in Nijgadh, Bara, will start by April next year, government officials said on Sunday.
Officials at the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoTCA) made such statement during the submission of the Detailed Feasibility Study Report carried out by Korea’s Landmark Worldwide Company (LMW) on the ministry premises. The airport will be developed under the ‘build own operate and transfer’ (BOOT) model.
Although the LMW study said the single-runway airport’s construction—if started this year—could be completed by 2015 for commercial operation, necessary legal procedures to be followed by the government has delayed the project by a year.
“The comprehensive report submitted today will be briefed to the prime minister, other ministers and high-level government officials,” said MoTCA secretary Kishore Thapa.
According to Thapa, after the briefing, the high-level BOOT committee will start the investors selection process—which will take at least six months—and negotiations with selected investors will take an additional six months.
However, the government has two options for awarding the project to investors. First one is ‘request for proposal (RFP)’—which is based on selection process—and the second, under the BOOT Act section-9—which says that the project can directly be awarded to any interested investors. “The BOOT Act says that the Rs 2-billion project can be awarded directly to any investors without calling for RFP,” according to the officials.
As SIA is a government prioritised project and LMW is showing interest in the project since 2007, the Korean company has high chances of winning the project. “Although, MoTCA has assured prioritising the project to LMW, which of the options to be adopted will be finalised through a political decision,” Thapa added.
In the recommendation of the BOOT committee, the project will be forwarded to the Cabinet to decide on which option to be adopted.
On March 8, 2010, the government had awarded the contract for carrying out a detailed feasibility study to LMW. The company has invested $3.55 million for the detailed and design feasibility study.
LMW Senior Vice President Seung-Hyung Lee is also optimistic that the government would acknowledge their efforts made in the project over the last 4 years. “We hope that the government will recognise our efforts and will assign the project development to us.”
SIA will cover 3,000 hectares of land (2,000 hectares for airport and remaining for airport city). LMW’s feasibility study said the proposed airport could handle 15 million passengers until 2030 and even accommodate the super-jumbo Airbus A380 after the first phase of construction.
The estimated cost for the first phase, according to the feasibility study, would be $ 650 million. The proposed airport Apron has 15 stands for international carriers, four stands for domestic and two for cargo flights.
The first passenger terminal has an area of 75,500 square metre, six boarding gates, 34 check-in counters, six security inspection counters, 35 immigration counters, eight customs inspection counters and six baggage claim counters.
By the end of the third phase of construction, the airport will have a parallel runway, enabling it to handle 60 million passengers annually.
“The study said the Kathmandu-Tarai fast track should be completed at least six months before the commencement of the airport. “Without completing the fast track at least six months in advance, the airport cannot start commercial operation,” said Binay Rawal, LMW representative in Nepal.
KATHMANDU, APR 11 -
If all goes well, construction of the much talked about Second International Airport (SIA) in Nijgadh, Bara, will start by April next year, government officials said on Sunday.
Officials at the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoTCA) made such statement during the submission of the Detailed Feasibility Study Report carried out by Korea’s Landmark Worldwide Company (LMW) on the ministry premises. The airport will be developed under the ‘build own operate and transfer’ (BOOT) model.
Although the LMW study said the single-runway airport’s construction—if started this year—could be completed by 2015 for commercial operation, necessary legal procedures to be followed by the government has delayed the project by a year.
“The comprehensive report submitted today will be briefed to the prime minister, other ministers and high-level government officials,” said MoTCA secretary Kishore Thapa.
According to Thapa, after the briefing, the high-level BOOT committee will start the investors selection process—which will take at least six months—and negotiations with selected investors will take an additional six months.
However, the government has two options for awarding the project to investors. First one is ‘request for proposal (RFP)’—which is based on selection process—and the second, under the BOOT Act section-9—which says that the project can directly be awarded to any interested investors. “The BOOT Act says that the Rs 2-billion project can be awarded directly to any investors without calling for RFP,” according to the officials.
As SIA is a government prioritised project and LMW is showing interest in the project since 2007, the Korean company has high chances of winning the project. “Although, MoTCA has assured prioritising the project to LMW, which of the options to be adopted will be finalised through a political decision,” Thapa added.
In the recommendation of the BOOT committee, the project will be forwarded to the Cabinet to decide on which option to be adopted.
On March 8, 2010, the government had awarded the contract for carrying out a detailed feasibility study to LMW. The company has invested $3.55 million for the detailed and design feasibility study.
LMW Senior Vice President Seung-Hyung Lee is also optimistic that the government would acknowledge their efforts made in the project over the last 4 years. “We hope that the government will recognise our efforts and will assign the project development to us.”
SIA will cover 3,000 hectares of land (2,000 hectares for airport and remaining for airport city). LMW’s feasibility study said the proposed airport could handle 15 million passengers until 2030 and even accommodate the super-jumbo Airbus A380 after the first phase of construction.
The estimated cost for the first phase, according to the feasibility study, would be $ 650 million. The proposed airport Apron has 15 stands for international carriers, four stands for domestic and two for cargo flights.
The first passenger terminal has an area of 75,500 square metre, six boarding gates, 34 check-in counters, six security inspection counters, 35 immigration counters, eight customs inspection counters and six baggage claim counters.
By the end of the third phase of construction, the airport will have a parallel runway, enabling it to handle 60 million passengers annually.
“The study said the Kathmandu-Tarai fast track should be completed at least six months before the commencement of the airport. “Without completing the fast track at least six months in advance, the airport cannot start commercial operation,” said Binay Rawal, LMW representative in Nepal.
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Tourist arrivals up, but revenue down
SANGAM PRASAIN
KATHMANDU, APR 08 -
Tourist arrivals to Nepal may be increasing, but foreign exchange earnings from tourism has been declining. The statistics of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) show that income from the travel trade has dipped in the first seven months of this fiscal year. According to NRB, tourism revenue amounted to Rs 14.80 billion during the review period, down 21.36 percent from Rs 18.82 billion in the same period last year.
Tourism income has fallen despite increased arrivals from the start of Nepal Tourism Year 2011. The first two months of 2011 saw tourist arrivals swelling 18.35 percent while income declined 28.67 percent.
According to the central bank, the country earned foreign exchange amounting to Rs 3.93 billion in January and February against Rs 5.51 billion in the same period in 2010.
Travel trade entrepreneurs attribute the decrease in collection to limited tourism activities and unhealthy competition resulting in low-priced tour packages.
However, NRB officials suspect that companies involved in foreign exchange transactions might have given incorrect data on income from tourism. They are baffled that while all the major hotels have reported a growth in their business, income from tourism is decreasing. “They may have classified tourism income under other categories while reporting their income to the central bank,” said a senior NRB official.
Raju Bikram Shah, general manager of the Shangri-La Hotel, said that his hotel’s tariff had been increasing by 15-20 percent annually and that occupancy was 97 percent. “Even during the off-season, we have increased our room rates,” Shah said.
The continuous decline in tourism income has raised the question whether Nepal is turning into a destination for budget travellers.
Travel traders said that it was too early to conclude that Nepal was turning into a budget destination. “It’s all about demand and supply,” said Arjun Prasad Sharma, president of the Nepal Association of Tour and Travel Agents. “Tourist expenditure decreases during the off-season.”
According to tourism entrepreneurs, unhealthy competition to offer packages at very low rates has also led to a fall in income. “Even when tourist arrivals increase, we have to provide cheap packages due to competition,” said Sharma. “This has also contributed to the decline in income.”
According to the Economic Survey 2010, the length of stay of tourists and their daily expenditure both have gone down as of mid-January 2010 compared to mid-January 2009. The length of stay went down to 11.6 days from 11.78 days and daily expenditure fell to US$ 36.88 from US$ 48.68. An analysis of annual income figures shows a meagre growth of 0.63 percent in earnings from foreign tourists in fiscal 2009-10. Tourism income in 2009-10 stood at Rs 28.13 billion compared to Rs 27.95 billion in the previous year.
Entrepreneurs say policy makers need to do some soul searching on why income from tourism is declining. They have stressed the need for programmes to lengthen the stay of tourists, encourage them to spend more and attract high-end tourists.
KATHMANDU, APR 08 -
Tourist arrivals to Nepal may be increasing, but foreign exchange earnings from tourism has been declining. The statistics of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) show that income from the travel trade has dipped in the first seven months of this fiscal year. According to NRB, tourism revenue amounted to Rs 14.80 billion during the review period, down 21.36 percent from Rs 18.82 billion in the same period last year.
Tourism income has fallen despite increased arrivals from the start of Nepal Tourism Year 2011. The first two months of 2011 saw tourist arrivals swelling 18.35 percent while income declined 28.67 percent.
According to the central bank, the country earned foreign exchange amounting to Rs 3.93 billion in January and February against Rs 5.51 billion in the same period in 2010.
Travel trade entrepreneurs attribute the decrease in collection to limited tourism activities and unhealthy competition resulting in low-priced tour packages.
However, NRB officials suspect that companies involved in foreign exchange transactions might have given incorrect data on income from tourism. They are baffled that while all the major hotels have reported a growth in their business, income from tourism is decreasing. “They may have classified tourism income under other categories while reporting their income to the central bank,” said a senior NRB official.
Raju Bikram Shah, general manager of the Shangri-La Hotel, said that his hotel’s tariff had been increasing by 15-20 percent annually and that occupancy was 97 percent. “Even during the off-season, we have increased our room rates,” Shah said.
The continuous decline in tourism income has raised the question whether Nepal is turning into a destination for budget travellers.
Travel traders said that it was too early to conclude that Nepal was turning into a budget destination. “It’s all about demand and supply,” said Arjun Prasad Sharma, president of the Nepal Association of Tour and Travel Agents. “Tourist expenditure decreases during the off-season.”
According to tourism entrepreneurs, unhealthy competition to offer packages at very low rates has also led to a fall in income. “Even when tourist arrivals increase, we have to provide cheap packages due to competition,” said Sharma. “This has also contributed to the decline in income.”
According to the Economic Survey 2010, the length of stay of tourists and their daily expenditure both have gone down as of mid-January 2010 compared to mid-January 2009. The length of stay went down to 11.6 days from 11.78 days and daily expenditure fell to US$ 36.88 from US$ 48.68. An analysis of annual income figures shows a meagre growth of 0.63 percent in earnings from foreign tourists in fiscal 2009-10. Tourism income in 2009-10 stood at Rs 28.13 billion compared to Rs 27.95 billion in the previous year.
Entrepreneurs say policy makers need to do some soul searching on why income from tourism is declining. They have stressed the need for programmes to lengthen the stay of tourists, encourage them to spend more and attract high-end tourists.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Yeti, Tara merger plan on hold pending probe
SANGAM PRASAIN
KATHMANDU, APR 08 -
The planned merger between Yeti Airlines and its subsidiary Tara Air has been put on hold pending completion of an investigation by the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation.
“There are three different cases related to Tara Air which are being investigated by separate committees in the ministry,” said Joint Secretary Suresh Acharya. “As they are all serious cases, the authorization to merge cannot be granted until they have been finalized.”
Yeti Airlines had applied to the ministry to merge with Tara Air about one and a half months ago in a bid to restore its subsidiary’s image which had been damaged after a Twin Otter crash on Dec. 16, 2010. Tara Air’s Canadian-built aircraft (9N AFX) met with an accident at Shripur in Okhaldhunga district killing all 22 passengers and crew aboard. All the passengers were Bhutanese nationals.
The aircraft investigation committee has been given another 30 days to submit its report on the crash as it failed to do so within the 90-day deadline it was originally given.
A second committee has been formed to probe the issue of the deceased passengers who were all revealed to be Bhutanese citizens but travelling as Nepalis under false ID. Similarly, the third case is related to Tara Air’s taking extra payment from the passengers in the name of service charge.
“All these issues should be cleared before the merger can happen,” Acharya said. If Yeti applies to acquire additional aircraft, it wouldn’t be any problem to authorize the carrier to do so. But merging Tara Air or its property with Yeti Airlines cannot be permitted at present, he added.
“The merger process of any company takes time; and in the case of Tara Air, the process will take longer as there are several legal issues to be investigated before they can be permitted to merge,” said Kishore Thapa, secretary at the ministry.
Ministry officials also alleged that Yeti Airlines was trying to reduce its financial burden after its insurance premiums were hiked following repeated crashes. “We have been informed that insurance companies have increased the premiums after repeated crashes,” a ministry source said.
KATHMANDU, APR 08 -
The planned merger between Yeti Airlines and its subsidiary Tara Air has been put on hold pending completion of an investigation by the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation.
“There are three different cases related to Tara Air which are being investigated by separate committees in the ministry,” said Joint Secretary Suresh Acharya. “As they are all serious cases, the authorization to merge cannot be granted until they have been finalized.”
Yeti Airlines had applied to the ministry to merge with Tara Air about one and a half months ago in a bid to restore its subsidiary’s image which had been damaged after a Twin Otter crash on Dec. 16, 2010. Tara Air’s Canadian-built aircraft (9N AFX) met with an accident at Shripur in Okhaldhunga district killing all 22 passengers and crew aboard. All the passengers were Bhutanese nationals.
The aircraft investigation committee has been given another 30 days to submit its report on the crash as it failed to do so within the 90-day deadline it was originally given.
A second committee has been formed to probe the issue of the deceased passengers who were all revealed to be Bhutanese citizens but travelling as Nepalis under false ID. Similarly, the third case is related to Tara Air’s taking extra payment from the passengers in the name of service charge.
“All these issues should be cleared before the merger can happen,” Acharya said. If Yeti applies to acquire additional aircraft, it wouldn’t be any problem to authorize the carrier to do so. But merging Tara Air or its property with Yeti Airlines cannot be permitted at present, he added.
“The merger process of any company takes time; and in the case of Tara Air, the process will take longer as there are several legal issues to be investigated before they can be permitted to merge,” said Kishore Thapa, secretary at the ministry.
Ministry officials also alleged that Yeti Airlines was trying to reduce its financial burden after its insurance premiums were hiked following repeated crashes. “We have been informed that insurance companies have increased the premiums after repeated crashes,” a ministry source said.
LPG shortage temporary : NOC
SANGAM PRASAIN
KATHMANDU, APR 08 -
Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) has said that the supply of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) throughout the country was in a comfortable position.
Explaining the reason behind the queues for cooking gas in Dharan and other cities, NOC spokesman Mukunda Dhungel said that there had been a temporary shortage due to a strike by trade unions excluded from the recent salary hike deal. “Now there is no need to worry about a shortage,” added Dhungel.
However, it will take one more month for normal supply of LPG. Gas bottlers said the shortage was likely to remain till May. LPG is still in short supply in the country’s major cities. The state-owned petroleum monopoly that imported 15,600 tons of LPG from India in March, had requested Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) for 19,000 tons of LPG for April. “If NOC imports 19,000 tons of LPG in April, the supply will become normal by May,” said Suresh Prajapati, general secretary of the Nepal LP Gas Industry Association.
Gas bottling companies admitted that NOC had increased the supply of LPG in March.
The long queues in the market, according to gas bottlers, were due to a decline in imports
by NOC in January and February. “Imports were slashed to about 12,000 tons in January and February which had affected supply in March,” said Prajapati.
Consumption of LPG increased by 16.29 percent in the first eight months of the current fiscal year compared to the corresponding period in the last fiscal.
According to NOC statistics, the country imported 100,557 tons of LPG in the first eight months of the current fiscal year against 86,455 tons during the same period in the last fiscal year.
LPG consumption started rising after 2007-08 when imports surged by almost 20 percent. In 2009-10, LPG imports increased by 21 percent to reach 141,171 tons.
Gas bottling companies said the reason behind the sharp rise in LPG imports was the increased number of households using LPG for cooking. The energy crisis has also prompted people to turn to LPG.
KATHMANDU, APR 08 -
Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) has said that the supply of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) throughout the country was in a comfortable position.
Explaining the reason behind the queues for cooking gas in Dharan and other cities, NOC spokesman Mukunda Dhungel said that there had been a temporary shortage due to a strike by trade unions excluded from the recent salary hike deal. “Now there is no need to worry about a shortage,” added Dhungel.
However, it will take one more month for normal supply of LPG. Gas bottlers said the shortage was likely to remain till May. LPG is still in short supply in the country’s major cities. The state-owned petroleum monopoly that imported 15,600 tons of LPG from India in March, had requested Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) for 19,000 tons of LPG for April. “If NOC imports 19,000 tons of LPG in April, the supply will become normal by May,” said Suresh Prajapati, general secretary of the Nepal LP Gas Industry Association.
Gas bottling companies admitted that NOC had increased the supply of LPG in March.
The long queues in the market, according to gas bottlers, were due to a decline in imports
by NOC in January and February. “Imports were slashed to about 12,000 tons in January and February which had affected supply in March,” said Prajapati.
Consumption of LPG increased by 16.29 percent in the first eight months of the current fiscal year compared to the corresponding period in the last fiscal.
According to NOC statistics, the country imported 100,557 tons of LPG in the first eight months of the current fiscal year against 86,455 tons during the same period in the last fiscal year.
LPG consumption started rising after 2007-08 when imports surged by almost 20 percent. In 2009-10, LPG imports increased by 21 percent to reach 141,171 tons.
Gas bottling companies said the reason behind the sharp rise in LPG imports was the increased number of households using LPG for cooking. The energy crisis has also prompted people to turn to LPG.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Int’l air passenger movement up 20pc
SANGAM PRASAIN
KATHMANDU, APR 03 -
International airlines operating in Nepal saw a 20.19 percent rise in passenger movement in 2010 compared to 2009.
Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), the sole international airport in Nepal, reported that passenger volume in 2010 reached 2,436,558 against 2,027,147 in 2009. All the major airlines, particularly those connecting labour destinations, witnessed greater business compared to 2009.
According to the TIA report, Qatar Airways, Air Arabia, Etihad Airways, Fly Dubai, Bahrain Air and Oman Air reported the strongest full-year passenger growth.
TIA statistics paint a bleak picture of the national flag carrier Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC). Marred by series of controversy and inability to purchase new aircraft, the NAC recorded a negative growth in passenger movement in 2010. It lost 2.17 percent to take the third place in terms of passenger movement. Thanks to the healthy growth in migrant workers’ departure, most of the airlines from Middle East registered handsome growth in 2010.
Qatar Airways, Air Arabia, Etihad Airways and Bahrain Air recorded passenger growth of 19.49 percent, 18.84 percent, 49.39 percent and 42 percent, respectively.
New entrants Oman Air and Fly Dubai also saw a healthy passenger growth in 2010. However, Gulf Air posted a negative growth in passenger movement with the number of passengers dipping by 25 percent. Except Indian Airlines, airlines based in India reported a healthy growth in passenger movement last year.
The entry of more India-based airlines in Nepal saw the Indian Airlines losing passengers. While the Jet Airways and Jet Lite International posted 52 percent and 4.46 percent growth, respectively, Indian Airlines recorded degrowth of 12.38 percent. Same was the story with airlines from China, with all three Chinese airlines - China Southern, China Eastern and Air China- enjoying growth in 2010.
Int’l Airlines passenger movement
Airlines 2009 2010
Qatar Airways 251,214 300,184
Jet Airways 167,849 255,161
Nepal Airlines 237,751 232,577
Gulf Air 238,527 178,887
Thai Airways 186,466 175,422
Indian Airlines 199,770 175,022
Air Arabia 131,386 156,147
Etihad Airways 77,981 116,496
Jet Lite 107,271 112,060
Biman Bangladesh 70,727 105,971
Fly Dubai —— 81,446
Dragon Air 47,658 68,977
GMG Airlines 37,077 60,425
Kingfisher —— 55,470
Silk Air 52,372 52,906
Pakistan Int’l 58,161 47,610
Bahrain Air 32,877 46,726
Air China 29,620 36,536
Korean Air 33,099 31,528
(Source: TIA)
KATHMANDU, APR 03 -
International airlines operating in Nepal saw a 20.19 percent rise in passenger movement in 2010 compared to 2009.
Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), the sole international airport in Nepal, reported that passenger volume in 2010 reached 2,436,558 against 2,027,147 in 2009. All the major airlines, particularly those connecting labour destinations, witnessed greater business compared to 2009.
According to the TIA report, Qatar Airways, Air Arabia, Etihad Airways, Fly Dubai, Bahrain Air and Oman Air reported the strongest full-year passenger growth.
TIA statistics paint a bleak picture of the national flag carrier Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC). Marred by series of controversy and inability to purchase new aircraft, the NAC recorded a negative growth in passenger movement in 2010. It lost 2.17 percent to take the third place in terms of passenger movement. Thanks to the healthy growth in migrant workers’ departure, most of the airlines from Middle East registered handsome growth in 2010.
Qatar Airways, Air Arabia, Etihad Airways and Bahrain Air recorded passenger growth of 19.49 percent, 18.84 percent, 49.39 percent and 42 percent, respectively.
New entrants Oman Air and Fly Dubai also saw a healthy passenger growth in 2010. However, Gulf Air posted a negative growth in passenger movement with the number of passengers dipping by 25 percent. Except Indian Airlines, airlines based in India reported a healthy growth in passenger movement last year.
The entry of more India-based airlines in Nepal saw the Indian Airlines losing passengers. While the Jet Airways and Jet Lite International posted 52 percent and 4.46 percent growth, respectively, Indian Airlines recorded degrowth of 12.38 percent. Same was the story with airlines from China, with all three Chinese airlines - China Southern, China Eastern and Air China- enjoying growth in 2010.
Int’l Airlines passenger movement
Airlines 2009 2010
Qatar Airways 251,214 300,184
Jet Airways 167,849 255,161
Nepal Airlines 237,751 232,577
Gulf Air 238,527 178,887
Thai Airways 186,466 175,422
Indian Airlines 199,770 175,022
Air Arabia 131,386 156,147
Etihad Airways 77,981 116,496
Jet Lite 107,271 112,060
Biman Bangladesh 70,727 105,971
Fly Dubai —— 81,446
Dragon Air 47,658 68,977
GMG Airlines 37,077 60,425
Kingfisher —— 55,470
Silk Air 52,372 52,906
Pakistan Int’l 58,161 47,610
Bahrain Air 32,877 46,726
Air China 29,620 36,536
Korean Air 33,099 31,528
(Source: TIA)
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