Trade fair starts

GORKHA: The seventh Gorkha Mahotsav started from Friday in a bid to promote tourism and trade of Gorkha district. The five-day fair features several cultural pageants, said Ram Babu Joshi, president of Gorkha Chambers of Commerce and Industry (GCCI). The umbrella body of local businessmen expects that the event will fetch transaction worth Rs 10 million. GCCI, District Development Committee, Gorkha Municipality and Federation of Indigenous Janajatis have organised the fair.

Biogas plants popular

DAMAK: The biogas plant programme implemented by the Hanse-Dumse community forest here has become effective. Consumers are attracted to biogas plants after the community forestry started issuing loans for installing biogas plants. The community forest users’ committee has implemented the biogas support programme in ward numbers 3 and 5 of Damak Municipality since the last four years. The objective of the programme is to ensure the people’s participation in forest conservation. The committee provides a subsidy of Rs 2,500 to the consumers for installation of biogas plants.

Contraband seized

MORANG: Police here have stepped up efforts to control cross-border smuggling of goods. On Thursday night, police seized goods being smuggled into Nepal. Police teams from Armed Police Force Battalion, Tankineswari and Rangeli Base Camp impounded goods worth Rs 150,000 from several places in Morang district. Among others things, 61 sacks of sugar, edible oil and clothes were seized, police said adding that the seized goods have been handed over to Biratnagar customs office.

FM’s call for growth

Kathmandu: Finance Minister Surendra Pandey has urged entrepreneurs to participate in the country’s development process. Inaugurating a three-day ‘Dreams Capital Expo’ organized by Securities Research Center and Services here, he expressed commitment to expedite infrastructure development of the country and not let investment freeze. He hoped that the government would succeed in collecting 40 per cent more revenue than the last year and informed that the government has already collected 36 per cent more revenue against last year.