Grounded due to technical issues and lack of manpower and spares, they have made losses of over Rs2 billion, the state-owned carrier said.

The solar plant is estimated to cost nearly $10 million, or $1 million per megawatt, and will take around six months to complete.

Flights between Nepal and other countries, especially migrant labour destination ones, have resumed but there have been no commercial flights between the two neighbours since March.

With a new bridge, Khumbu region has become accessible by land, an alternative to flying to the precarious Lukla airport.

Recurrent shortages of the crop nutrients have been the bane of Nepali farmers.

Agriculture experts say Nepal had a chance to reap a record harvest because of a timely monsoon and abundant farm labour, but the government blew up the opportunity by failing to ensure a strong fertiliser supply mechanism.

Thai contractor reluctant to begin work fearing safety of workers as virus caseload in Nepal is on the rise, officials say.

Nepal Airlines has been banned twice after passengers carrying negative reports tested positive at destination airport.

With no foreign tourists, only 25 percent of restaurants in Pokhara are operating while in Chitwan, footfalls are only a third compared to previous years, service providers say.

Nepal Rastra Bank rejected the assumption saying growth trends indicate sustained inflows.

Nepalis abroad sent home Rs165.73 billion in the first two months despite a virus-ravaged world economy.

The Human Rights Commission and parliamentary committees have, on different occasions, directed the government to provide easy and affordable flight services to people in remote areas to fulfil its social obligation.

In recent years summit hopefuls have been growing since the tragedy on the mountain in 2014 and its closure following the 2015 earthquake.

Scenario does not look good for the tourism sector as the government once again pushes back the date for welcoming foreign tourists, industry insiders say.

The appointment, when there is already an executive chairman, brings a sense of déjà vu when dual power centres brought the flag carrier to a standstill in the past.