Kathmandu. Out of the total loans disbursed by banks and financial institutions in Karnali Province, the highest credit has been disbursed to the service sector (85.47 percent).

According to a study conducted by Nepal Rastra Bank, the number of branches of banks and financial institutions (BFIs) stood at 475 as of Ashad end of the fiscal year 2081/82. Similarly, the number of branchless banking is 18. The loan-to-deposit ratio in the province stands at 66.85 percent.

According to the Karnali Province Office of Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), in the fiscal year 2081/82, the total length of electricity transmission line in the province was 3,575.74 circuit kilometers. Construction of Pushpalal Highway, Karnali Corridor, Madan Bhandari Highway and Bheri-Babai Diversion Multipurpose Project is gaining momentum in Karnali Province.

The total area covered by agricultural crops in Karnali Province has decreased. According to the study, the total area covered by agriculture in Karnali Province has decreased by 6.08 percent as of mid-July of the fiscal year 2081÷82 compared to the previous year. The area under major food crops such as paddy, maize, wheat, millet and barley has decreased by 5.11 per cent, 4.16 per cent, 4.86 per cent, 11.52 per cent and 1.39 per cent respectively.

The area covered under vegetables and horticulture crops has decreased by 14.91 percent while the area covered under fruit crops has increased by 2.40 percent. In the review year, the overall agricultural crop production in Karnali decreased by 5.01 percent compared to the previous year. Likewise, the production of food, cash and other crops has decreased by 3.95 per cent.

The production of paddy by 10.25 per cent, wheat by 17.31 per cent, millet by 22.92 per cent and barley by 8.55 per cent in the review period of the review year saw a rise in the production of maize. Vegetable and fruit production decreased by 0.88 per cent and 36.41 per cent respectively in the fiscal year 2081÷82 BS.

In the review year, credit from banks and financial institutions in the agriculture sector accounted for 8.02 percent of the total credit in Karnali Province. In the review year, credit from banks and financial institutions in the overall agriculture sector of the province decreased by 7.70 percent compared to the last year.

In the review year, the average capacity utilization of the industries included in the sample selection was 46.52 percent. The capacity utilization of electric wires and cables is the highest at 90 percent. The capacity utilization of carpet industry is the lowest at 23.08 percent. In the review year, industrial credit decreased by 1.94 percent compared to the previous year. Industrial credit accounts for 6.50 per cent of the total credit disbursed in Karnali Province.

The number of tourists visiting the province has increased by 1.72 per cent. Tourist arrivals from India and China decreased by 23.85 per cent and 25.77 per cent respectively while those from third countries increased by 9.13 per cent in the review period.