A Sequential Procedure for Testing Unit Roots in the Presence of Structural Break in Time Series Data: An Application to Quarterly Data of Nepal, 1970-2003

Testing for unit roots has special significance in terms of both economic theory and the interpretation of estimation results. as there are several methods available, researchers face method selection problem while conducting the unit root test on time series data in the presence of structural break. this paper proposes a sequential search procedure to determine the best test method for each time series. different test methods or models may be appropriate for different time series. therefore, instead of sticking to one particular test method for all the time series under consideration, selection of a set of mixed methods is recommended for obtaining better results.time series, stationarity, unit root test, structural break, sequential procedure

Financial Liberalization Index for Nepal

A financial liberalization index (FLI) for Nepal is constructed in order to show the degree or the level of financial liberalization at a particular time. FLI is calculated on the basis of principal components method following Demetriades and Luintel (1997), Bandiera, Caprio et al. (2000), Laeven (2003), and Laurenceson and Chai (2003). The index comprises eight policy components, viz, (1) interest rate deregulation (IRD), (2) removal of entry barriers (REB), (3) reduction in reserve requirement (RRR), (4) easing in credit control (ECC), (5) implementation of prudential rules (IPR), (6) stock market reform (SMR), (7) privatization of state-owned banks (PSB), and (8) external account liberalization (EAL). As some of these policy measures have been implemented in phases, the index is designed to take into account their partial and gradual implementation too.Financial Liberalization, Welfare, Employment, Income Distribution, South Asia, Nepal

Controlling the Momentum Current of an Off-resonant Ratchet

We experimentally investigate the phenomenon of a quantum ratchet created by exposing a Bose-Einstein Condensate to short pulses of a potential which is periodic in both space and time. Such a ratchet is manifested by a directed current of particles, even though there is an absence of a net bias force. We confirm a recent theoretical prediction [M. Sadgrove and S. Wimberger, New J. Phys. \textbf{11}, 083027 (2009)] that the current direction can be controlled by experimental parameters which leave the underlying symmetries of the system unchanged. We demonstrate that this behavior can be understood using a single variable containing many of the experimental parameters and thus the ratchet current is describable using a single universal scaling law.Comment: arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:1210.565

Trekking Use Pattern and Perception of Users and Residents Towards Trekking Tourism in the Annapurna Sanctuary Trail, Nepal

The study assesses trekking use pattern and perception of trekkers and residents towards trekking tourism in the Annapurna Sanctuary Trail (AST) which is one of the most popular trekking areas in Nepal. Two separate questionnaire surveys, one representing 135 randomly selected trekkers and another involving 110 randomly selected households were conducted. The overall perception of trekkers was measured by a composite index developed from their opinions for six different attributes of the journey in the AST, where 1 represented most favourable perception and 4 represented most unfavourable perception. Likewise, residents' opinions on support for tourism, perception towards tourism's impacts and opinions for progressive tourism management statements were used in measuring the overall perception of residents, but in this case I represented most negative perception while 4 denoted most positive perception. It was found that the characteristics of the trekkers and pattern of use of the AST were not much different from other wilderness areas in the world. The per day expenditures of the trekkers in the AST was NRs . 222.2. They also spent large sum of money on trekking fees and porters and guides. However, this money is not retained in the area. Although the trekkers expressed somewhat unfavourable views towards litter condition and a few services, they in general showed positive view towards all attributes of the journey in the AST. It was noted that there were significant differences in the perceptions of trekkers towards various attributes of the journey in the AST; and area features was the most important factor in explaining the perception of journey in the AST

Tipologija ulic v Katmanduju in njihova preobrazba

Živahne in pešcem prijazne ulice iz obdobja dinastije Malla in edinstvena podoba ulic iz obdobja dinastije Rana ter tudi ulice na načrtno in nenačrtno pozidanih območjih se zaradi slabo načrtovane rasti mest, neurejene gradnje stavb in vse večjega števila vozil hitro spreminjajo. Vse to uničuje fizično podobo, zmanjšuje obseg družabnih dejavnosti ter povečuje nevarnost nesreč in neudobje pešcev na vseh vrstah ulic. Teh negativnih posledic pa ni mogoče reševati na podlagi sedanjih pravnih in institucionalnih okvirov, ki so jih oblikovali urbanistični in prometni organi. Celo novejši posegi za izboljšavo ulic so gibanje pešcev samo še bolj omejili, podobo ulic poslabšali, javne prostore nadomestili s prometnicami, predvsem pa še pospešili zgoščevanje pešcev in prometa na območjih, ki so bila že tako preobremenjena. Da bi smer razvoja spremenili in poudarili značilnosti tradicionalnih ulic v Katmanduju, je treba nujno uvesti trojno urbanistično strategijo, ki bo poslovne dejavnosti preselila iz mestnega središča, izboljšala območja prehoda med ulicami (in pločnike) in dejavnostmi v pritličjih stavb na obeh straneh ulic ter uvedla strog prometni nadzor. Obenem bi vsi ti ukrepi morali temeljiti na prožnih načrtovalskih smernicah, spodbudah in soglasju med različnimi déležniki

Soil Chemical Properties Under Conservation Agriculture and Cereal-Based Cropping System in Eastern Tarai of Nepal

Field experiments were conducted for four years (2014-2017) at five locations namely Salbani, Bhokraha, Simariya, Bhaluwa and Kaptanganj of Sunsari district to assess the changes in soil chemical properties under conservation agriculture (CA)-based practices in two cropping systems namely rice-kidney bean-maize at Salbani and rice-wheat at rest of the locations. In rice-wheat cropping system, there were four treatments: (1) conventional tillage (CT) for rice transplantation and subsequent wheat sowing, (2) conventional tillage rice transplantation followed by zero tillage (ZT) wheat, (3) unpuddled rice transplantation followed by zero tillage wheat, (4) zero tillage in both rice and wheat. Similarly, in rice-kidney bean-maize cropping system, there were four treatments; (1) conventional tillage for rice transplantation and sowing of both kidney bean and maize, (2) conventional tillage rice transplantation followed by zero tillage in both kidney bean and maize, (3) unpuddled rice transplantation followed by zero tillage in both kidney bean and maize, (4) zero tillage in all three crops. Soil samples were taken at initial and every year after rice harvest.The soil samples were analyzed for total nitrogen, available phosphorus, available potassium, pH and soil organic matter.Total nitrogen (N) showed a slightly decreasing trend in the first three years and showed a slight increase at the end of experiment under ZT in all locations. The total N under ZT changed from 0.12 to 0.13%, 0.05 to 0.06%, 0.10 to 0.12%, 0.11 to 0.08% and 0.09 to 0.13% in Salbani, Bhokraha, Simariya, Bhaluwa and Kaptanganj, respectively.  All locations showed the positive values of available potassium; Salbani  revealing considerable change of 64.3 to 78.5 mg/kg in CT while 68.4 to 73.3 mg/kg in ZT condition. The treatment where rice was transplanted in unpuddled condition and zero tilled to wheat, had a mean value of available phosphorus and potassium as 87.3 and 81.9 mg/kg respectively. Soil pH ranged from 4.8 to 7.1 in CT while it was 5.2 to 6.8 in ZT across the locations. The change in soil organic matter in CT of all locations except Salbani was narrower as compared to ZT