Wheat yield drops

DIPAYAL: Wheat yield has decreased this year in some parts of Doti district. Farmers said the bad yield was due to rainless season and hailstorm during harvesting time. The low yield has compounded the agony of the farmers, who rely on wheat, a staple crop, throughout the year. Maina Devi Kathayat of Kotgaon said she harvested merely one fourth of the total wheat she used to reap this time around. Farmer Nanda Ram said production went down due to crop diseases and meagre rainfall. However, in some other VDCs of the district such as Kada, Sanagaon, Gajari, Nari, Dada, Banlek, Tijali, Jorayal, Bogtan and Latmandau the wheat yiled has been very good. Some neighbouring districts have been importing wheat produced in Doti. — RSS

Currency crunch

NEPALGUNJ: The hilly and mountainous districts of the Mid and Far West Development Regions have been hit by a shortage of bank notes as Nepal Rastra Bank’s Nepalgunj branch is unable to dispatch banknotes to these districts due to the indefinite Tarai shutdown. According to the NRB Nepalgunj branch, although many banks in most of the hilly and mountainous districts of the mid and far west development regions have been demanding banknotes since the last two weeks, it is not possible to send due to security reasons. Salyan and Bajura are said to be facing an acute shortage. These districts will face grave economic crisis if banknotes are not supplied soon. — THT Online

New magazine

KATHMANDU: Life, a readymade garments store, has come up with an informative magazine, ‘Fashion Forward’. According to a press release, the magazine was launched to prompt customers to choose the kind of attire they are comfortable in. The magazine will be for free for all existing customers, business houses, banks and financial institutions, said the store management. — THT Online

Transport fare row

DAMAK: Vehicles operating public transport services in Jhapa district are yet to implement the scientific rate of transport fares set by the government on March 31. Since there is no uniform transport fare, transport entrepreneurs are charging arbitrarily which has created great confusion. Commuters are complaining that some of the public transport entrepreneurs are collecting exorbitant transport fares from passengers. —RSS

Livelihood aid

DOLAKHA: The District Livestock Service Office, Dolakha, has decided to provide financial aid to 30 youths under the Rural Self-employment Promotion Programme for this year. The office will provide a grant of Rs 21,000 each to 21 men and nine women. The Self-Employment Promotion Programme was started last year in the district targeting the youth of the district for those interested in livestock related activities. A selection committee of the District Livestock Development Task Force selected 30 persons among 188 applicants for providing the grant. Office chief Dr Ram Kumar Karki said last year also 30 youths received aid for running livestock business. — RSS