Kathmandu: Citing ongoing disruptions in petroleum supplies due to the conflict in West Asia, the Nepali government has decided to implement a two-day weekend for government offices and educational institutions.
Under the new arrangement, public holidays will now be observed on Saturdays and Sundays for government offices and educational institutions. Minister for Education, Science and Technology, Youth and Sports, and government spokesperson Sasmit Pokharel said that a Cabinet meeting on Sunday took the decision, considering disruptions in global oil supply that have affected the global economy, particularly in Asian countries.
The minister said that government offices, excluding educational institutions, will now operate from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on working days.
Earlier, offices in the Himalayan nation used to function from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Nepal Cabinet has also decided to prepare the necessary legal framework to facilitate the conversion of petrol- and diesel-powered vehicles into electric vehicles. Although Nepal has been witnessing a rapid transition towards electric four-wheelers among new car purchases, internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles continue to dominate the market due to past purchases.
The ongoing conflict involving the U.S., Israel and Iran has resulted in the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20 per cent of the world’s fuel supply passes.
Most Asian countries are heavily reliant on West Asian oil for energy generation, transportation and cooking, among other uses.
Neighbouring nation India is also heavily dependent on oil and gas supplies from the region. As Nepal is fully dependent on India for refined fuel and gas, availability in the Nepali market depends on India’s supply capacity.
Amid the disruption in oil supply, prices have surged in Nepal’s domestic market. Along with fuel, prices of several food and non-food items have also risen, affecting households and businesses.
(IANS)
