Gosaikunda fair planned

RASUWA: At least 10,000 pilgrims are expected to visit the Ganga Dashahara fair to be held from next week in Gosainkund of Rasuwa district. "We are expecting around 10,000 pilgrims this year as the condition of road is better, local priest Dharmagat Pandey said. Thousands of pilgrims visit the Gosainkund every year, which is situated at a height of 14,000 feet. Pilgrims come to the Gosainkund during the ten-day long Ganga Dashahara and five-day long Janai purnima festival. — RSS

Technical office set up

ILAM: A technical office has been set up at Phikkal with a view to resolving the problems of tea farmers, who are living in various villages of the district. Himalayan Orthodox Tea Producers Association (HOTPA) has established the office. The office was established to provide various services about the tea in the local level, Chandra Bhushan Subba, executive director of HOTPA said. The office will hold training to impart knowledge to the farmers about the use of organic fertiliser. Tea is planted at an area of 39,205 ropanis of land in the district under the small farmers project. — RSS

Farmers take training

PARBAT: Rural animal health workers training began here on Monday with a view to boost the rural level animal health workers competitiveness. A total of 27 persons, including six women have been participating in the 35-day long training. The participant farmers will be provided loan of Rs 18,000, which can be paid in installment without any interests.— RSS

QA bags Middle East deal

KATHMANDU: Qatar Airways (QA) has been awarded the Middle East Deal of the Year 2003 accolade at the 24th Annual Airfinance Conference recently held in New York. The award, from Airfinance Journal, recognises the $2.2 billion worth of financing completed by Qatar Airways during 2003 and specifically two high profile transactions, states a press release issued here. — HNS

Lanka named for US fund

WASHINGTON: Sri Lanka is one of 16 countries that will be eligible to request development assistance funds from the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA), a special US aid programme. The MCA is designed to provide incentives for poor countries to pursue economic policies that are conducive to development, the US government-funded Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) has said in a release. — HNS

Euro-zone growth lagging

PARIS: The economic performance gap between the English-speaking world and the euro zone is widening, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) said in a report published on Tuesday. —AP