INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
KATHMANDU, NEPAL, APRIL 27Nepal banned imports of cars, alcohol, tobacco and other
luxury items Wednesday and shortened its work week to help conserve its dwindling supply of foreign exchange.
A notice published in the
government gazette said only emergency vehicles can be imported
No imports of any type of alcohol or tobacco products, large-engine motorcycles and mobile phones costing over $600 dollars will be
allowed.
The ban, in effect until the end of the fiscal year in mid-July, also forbids imports of toys, playing cards and
diamonds.
Without such drastic measures, the foreign currency reserves needed to import almost everything will last only a few more months,
officials said.
Nepal's main sources of foreign currency are tourism, remittances from overseas workers and foreign aid.
Hundreds of
thousands of foreign tourists usually visit the Himalayan country every year, but the number of visitors plunged during the
pandemic.
Rising prices for oil have added to pressure on Nepal's foreign reserves
So to conserve fuel, Information Minister Gyanendra Karki announced Wednesday that the government would reduce the work week from five and a
half days to five.
However the crisis is already easing, he said, as tourists resume visits and more Nepalese go overseas to work, sending
This article first appeared/also appeared in https://thehimalayantimes.com