Economists Paint a Bleak Picture of Economy As Virus Hits Harder
WITHOUT F EAR OR FAVOUR Nepal’s largest selling English daily Vol XXVIII No. 191 | 8 pages | Rs.5 O O Printed simultaneously in Kathmandu, Biratnagar, Bharatpur and Nepalgunj 35.0 C 13.0 C Thursday, September 03, 2020 | 18-05-2077 Nepalgunj Jomsom Economists paint a bleak picture of economy as virus hits harder With rising virus caseload, authorities are tightening curbs which could result in a massive economic contraction. PRITHVI MAN SHRESTHA end of the last fiscal year 2019-20, KATHMANDU, SEPT 2 down around Rs17 billion. “This suggests that there has been In normal times, the country’s com- greater recovery of existing loans than mercial banks would be busy issuing new loans,” said Bhuvan Dahal, chief loans right and left at the start of executive officer of Sanima Bank. every new fiscal year. In mid-July, The government on July 21 decided lenders would be bracing for a hectic to lift the lockdown. season. As the country saw a massive spike “That is the time importers seek in the Covid-19 caseload, local admin- loans for importing goods targeting istrators imposed prohibitory orders the Dashain and Tihar festivals,” said in various districts, shutting down Gunakar Bhatta, spokesperson for businesses and factories again. Nepal Rastra Bank. “But the report I Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur, have received shows that banks have the three districts in the Kathmandu been hardly issuing loans since the Valley, too were put under prohibitory fiscal year started.” orders effective August 19 midnight, When the current fiscal year started shattering hopes of an economic on July 16, the entire country was in recovery.
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