- Sunday, 9 November 2025
Kathmandu, May 26: The current account remained at a surplus of Rs 210.22 billion in the last nine months of the current fiscal year 2024/25 compared to a surplus of Rs 179.83 billion in the same period of the previous year. In the US Dollar terms, the current account registered a surplus of 1.55 billion in the review period against a surplus of 1.35 billion in the same period last year.
The Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) stated this in its Review of the Monetary Policy of the Current Fiscal Year 2024/25.
The Balance of Payments (BOP) remained at a surplus of Rs 346.23 billion in the nine months of the current Fiscal Year 2024/25 compared to a surplus of Rs 365.16 billion in the same period of the previous year.
In the US Dollar terms, the BOP remained at a surplus of 2.55 billion in the review period compared to a surplus of 2.75 billion in the same period of the previous year.
The NRB stated that in the review period, net capital transfer amounted to Rs 7.71 billion. In the same period of the previous year, such transfer amounted to Rs 4.78 billion. Similarly, in the review period, Rs 8.96 billion foreign direct investment (equity only) was received. In the same period of the previous year, foreign direct investment inflow (equity only) amounted to Rs 6.49 billion.
Foreign Exchange Reserves
Gross foreign exchange reserves increased 18.9 percent to Rs 2426.84 billion in mid-April 2025 from Rs 2041.10 billion in mid-July 2024. In the US dollar terms, the gross foreign exchange reserves increased 15.4 percent to 17.63 billion in mid-April 2025 from 15.27 billion in mid-July 2024.
Of the total foreign exchange reserves, the reserves held by NRB increased 15.6 percent to Rs 2136.46 billion in mid-April 2025 from Rs 1848.55 billion in mid-July 2024. Reserves held by banks and financial institutions (except NRB) increased 50.8 percent to Rs 290.38 billion in mid-April 2025 from Rs 192.55 billion in mid-July 2024.
The share of Indian currency in total reserves stood at 20.4 percent in mid-April 2025.
Foreign Exchange Adequacy Indicators
Based on the imports of nine months of 2024/25, the foreign exchange reserves of the banking sector is sufficient to cover the prospective merchandise imports of 17.1 months, and merchandise and services imports of 14.2 months. The ratio of reserves-to-GDP, reserves-to-imports and reserves-to-M2 stood at 39.7 percent, 118.7 percent and 32.8 percent respectively in mid-April 2025. Such ratios were 35.8 percent, 108.6 percent and 29.3 percent respectively in mid-July 2024.
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Siblings killed in fire incident due to LPG leakage
Krishnanagar (Kapilbastu), May 26: Two siblings from the same family have died after a cooking gas cylinder leaked and caused a fire at Jaynagar, Suddhodhan Rural Municipality-5 in Kapilbastu district.
According to police, 25-year-old Shiva Kumar Yadav and his 18-year-old sister Sonam Yadav were seriously injured when a fire broke out suddenly as soon as the gas cylinder regulator was opened while cooking at home on Sunday night.
Both of them died while being taken to the hospital for treatment, said the District Police Office’s Superintendent Niranjan Datt Bhatt. He stated that preliminary investigations by police revealed a fire broke out suddenly due to a gas leak as soon as the regulator was opened.
The deceased Sonam was studying in class 10 at local Murphutwa National Secondary School, as informed by the headteacher Lalchandra Pandey.
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Nepal Socialist Party and Nepa National Party to be united with CPN (Maoist Centre)
Kathmandu, May 26: The Nepal Socialist Party and the Nepa National Party are going to unite with the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre).
The meeting of the CPN (Maoist Centre) office-bearers held today at the residence of Party Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ in Khumaltar has decided to unite with the two parties, Vice Chairman and Spokesperson Agni Prasad Sapkota said.
Accordingly, the Socialist Party led by Ganga Narayan Shrestha and the Nepa National Party led by Bijay Sainju are uniting with the Maoist Centre today.
The meeting concluded that the campaign focused on the Mid-Hill Highway, which started from Baitadi in the Sudurpaschim Province, has been effective.
Spokesperson Sapkota informed that the first phase of the campaign has been completed after reaching Kaski in Gandaki Province, and the second phase campaign will soon start from Pokhara towards the east.
The Maoist Centre has urged to facilitate and assist in the investigation, as the issue of the ‘visit visa’ case at the Tribhuvan International Airport immigration office also allegedly linked to the leadership of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
“The meeting has concluded that the Home Minister should pave the way for an independent and impartial investigation into this case,” party spokesperson Sapkota said.
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Chepang children in a Chitwan community school achieving
outstanding results
Bharatpur, May 26: Children from the minority Chepang community have started achieving outstanding results in school examinations in recent period.
Kandeshwori Basic School located at Kanda of Rapti Municipality-13, where children from only Chepang community study, was declared the best school in this year’s class eight examinations in the local level. The school achieved the outstanding results in the first year of starting teaching in grade eight.
School Headteacher Bal Krishna Thapaliya said the students of Chepang community are excelling in their studies after the establishment of a school with residential facility.
A total of 13 Chepang students of the school had appeared in Grade Eight examination. Of them, a student secured A+ plus, seven students A and two students B+ results, he added.
Thapaliya mentioned, “We are very happy with the results in the first year. We achieved this due to hard work of teachers and students, and the results have made all of us happy and excited.”
The study of Chepang students has improved after Laxmi Foundation operated a hostel in the school and Chepang students are taught from 4:00 am to 9:00 pm every day.
There are 27 community schools in Rapti Municipality. Of them, three schools including Kandeshwori School had achieved cent per cent pass results in Grade Eight examination, shared Technical Assistant at Education Section of the Municipality, Laxmi Lamichhane.
Lamichhane added the school has become successful to present an example that a school established in remote area could compete with schools in city areas. Kanda is the most remote place of Chitwan district.
A local Sita Bahadur Chepang said the place which lacks transport and electricity facilities is getting improvement in the field of education.
Stating that in recent period growing interest and devotion in education has been seen among Chepang kids, he added a concept has developed among the guardians that their children should be sent to school.
Laxmi Foundation and Miteri Foundation started working for the upliftment of Chepang community and education of children keeping the poverty of Chepang community in mind. Laxmi Foundation has operated a hostel while Miteri Foundation made arrangement to run teaching learning activities up to class eight.
Earlier, most of Chepang children here were compelled to discontinue their study after class 3, shared Headmaster Thapaliya.
The guardians’ financial condition is poor and they cannot afford to send their children to school while the children were compelled to drop out from school if different organisations had not supported them in their studies.
The school has been facing problem to run classes in lack of teacher quotas despite running teaching learning activities up to grade eight with support of various donors. Now, the school has quota of seven teachers as well as 150 students. The school still lacks toilet and library, he added.
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Rights should be devolved to provinces to boost federalism, insists Lumbini province CM
Lumbini, May 26: The Chief Minister of Lumbini Province, Chet Narayan Acharya, has said that the rights granted by the constitution must be delegated to the province for the strengthening of federalism.
Addressing the coordination meeting between the members of the National Assembly and the Provincial Assembly held today in the provincial capital Rapti Valley (Deukhuri), Chief Minister Acharya viewed that power should be devolved to the provinces in such a way that there is no reduction in the rights conferred by the Constitution.
“I have understood that the rights bestowed by the constitution require the significant role of the elected representatives to be endorsed by the federal government or federal parliament. I have faith that you will fulfill that role,” he said.
Chief Minister Acharya stated that the province is facing financial problems due to the federal government not sending the equalization grant amount.
“Last year, a large amount of grant for equalization did not come. As a result, the province is still facing a financial crisis,” the Chief Minister complained.
Stating that the constitution has ensured the equalization grant, he said but issues such as budget cuts and non-availability of funds have affected the development projects initiated by the province.
CM Acharya said Lumbini Province has prioritized law making and implementation, and clarified that continuous coordination and cooperation between the members of the federal parliament and provincial assembly is necessary for the effectiveness of parliamentary practices including law making and implementation.
The programme was presided over by Speaker of Lumbini Province Assembly, Tularam Gharti Magar and attended by Deputy Chairperson of the National Assembly Bimala Ghimire, ministers of Lumbini Province, and members of the National Assembly and Provincial Assembly.
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CIEDP commits to ensure justice conflict-victim families
Kathmandu, May 26: Chairperson of the Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons, Lila Devi Gadtaula, has expressed commitment to search the disappeared persons providing justice to families of those who were forcibly disappeared.
During the meeting with armed conflict victim families, Chair Gadtaula shared, “We will conduct a thorough investigation making victim families satisfied and providing justice. We will recommend for compensation to the victim after finding the facts—when, why, and by whom they were made disappeared?”
She mentioned that a preliminary draft has been prepared for the regulation as per ‘Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons and Truth and Reconciliation Commission Act-2071’.
Chair Gadtaula said the draft would be finalized after holding discussion with conflict victim families. “Transitional justice should be victim-centric and victim-friendly. Suggestions of victims on the regulation are necessary,” she opined.
The CIEDP Chair added that the Commission has also prepared an action plan in order to move ahead reviewing the activities carried out by it so far.
An arrangement has been made to take the transitional justice to conclusion by making third amendment to the Act in September 2024.
Similarly, Chairperson of Association of Conflict Affected Family of Security Forces, Hem Kumari Gharti Magar, urged to carry out activities ensuring justice to the victim families.
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Home Minister denies involvement in visit visa scandal: NC
Kathmandu, May 26: The Nepali Congress (NC) has denied any involvement of Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak in the visit visa scandal.
A meeting of both former and current office bearers of the party, held at the private residence of Party President Sher Bahadur Deuba in Budhanilkantha today, concluded that Minister Lekhak, who represents the party in the NC-UML coalition government, had no role in the scandal.
During the meeting, the Minister presented a detailed statement regarding his alleged involvement in the scam, according to NC Spokesperson Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat. After reviewing his clarification, the party leadership decided there was no evidence linking him to the scandal.
The meeting also called for an impartial investigation into the matter, urging that those found responsible be brought to justice.
It is worth noting that on May 21, Tirtha Raj Bhattarai, the Chief of the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) Immigration Office, was interrogated by the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) for allegedly facilitating illegal foreign travel of Nepali nationals on visit visas.
It was later discovered that he had been in regular contact with officials in the Ministry, raising suspicions about the Minister’s involvement in the scandal.
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Dr Bhattarai appointed NWSC Chair
Kathmandu, May 26: Dr Dhundi Raj Bhattarai has been appointed to the post of Chairperson of Nepal Water Supply Corporation (NWSC).
Bhattarai was appointed to the post for three years as per the ministerial decision, shared Secretary at the Ministry of Water Supply, Engineer Pramila Devi Shakya. Dr Bhattarai is a resident of Bhumikasthan municipality-9 in Arghakhanchi district.
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‘Unification of Nepal Socialist Party, Maoist Centre is significant for socialist revolution’
Patan (Lalitpur), May 26: Former Prime Minister and CPN (Maoist Centre) Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has stated that the unification between the Maoist Centre and the Nepal Socialist Party marks a significant step toward achieving a socialist revolution.
Speaking at a programme held in Lalitpur today to announce the formal integration of the two parties, Dahal said that the unification of all communist forces has been a key agenda since the last general elections. He expressed confidence that this merger would help garner greater public trust.
He further added that discussions are ongoing with other political parties for further unification, underscoring that the unification with the Socialist Party carries long-term political significance and will help advance the socialist movement in the country.
Nepal Socialist Party leader Ganga Narayan Shrestha said that the decision to merge the party with the Maoist Centre was endorsed by two-thirds of the party’s central committee members. According to him, it is now irrelevant for parties with shared ideologies and political agendas to remain separate.
CPN (Maoist Centre) General Secretary Dev Gurung reaffirmed the party’s commitment to continue efforts toward unifying all parties aligned with the socialist revolutionary cause.
Following the unification, Shrestha has been appointed as Secretary of the Maoist Centre, it has been said.
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Earthquake rattles Ramidanda, Jajarkot
Kankrebihar (Surkhet), May 26: An earthquake occurred today at 2:25 pm with its epicenter at Ramidanda, Ward No. 1 of Barekot Rural Municipality in Jajarkot. The earthquake measured 4.3 on the Richter scale, said Chintak Timsina, Head of the Earthquake Monitoring Centre in Surkhet.
According to him, this is an aftershock. He informed that tremors were felt in the districts around Jajarkot.
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Marathon race to be organized at Annapurna base camp
Myagdi (Beni), May 26: A marathon race competition is to be held at the Annapurna Base Camp as part of the commemoration of the diamond jubilee of climbing Annapurna I (8091 meters).
The Annapurna Rural Municipality is organizing the ‘diamond jubilee festival’ on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the first ascent on Mt Annapurna and the 30-kilometre-long marathon will be a part of the event.
Bharat Kumar Pun, the chairperson of the Annapurna Rural Municipality, said that a marathon running competition will be held from the Annapurna Base Camp located at the Rural Municipality-4 to Narchyang village on June 3.
About 60 people are expected to participate in the marathon competition.
The Rural Municipality Chair Pun stated that a marathon running competition will be held at a high altitude in the district for the first time as part of the Annapurna Diamond Jubilee Festival being celebrated with various programmes from May 30 to June 4.
The event includes the unveiling of the statue of the first climber Maurice Herzog, Louis Lachenal, and the Nepali climber Sonam Wangchuk Sherpa, as well as the inauguration of the open museum built at the base camp and the Maurice Herzog trekking route connecting Narchyang to the base camp.
French mountaineer Herzog, along with Louis Lachenal and two Nepali Sherpas, successfully climbed the Annapurna I on June 3, 1950. The ascent of Mt Annapurna is considered a historic day in the climbing history of Nepal.
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Study team reveals three glacial lakes in Namkha
Adanchuli (Humla), May 26: A study team that had reached Humla to find out reasons behind flood and landslide occurred at Tilgaun in Namkha rural municipality-6 has come to the conclusion that there are three glacial lakes in Namkha. The landslide and flood had occurred in Tilgaun on May 15.
The three-member team led by senior division geologist at the Department of Mines and Geology, Shiva Kumar Baskota drew the conclusion that there are three glacial lakes at the height of 5,350 metres.
The study team comprised–senior divisional engineer of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, Sushil Kumar Shrestha, senior divisional geologist of Department of Mines and Geology, Shiva Kumar Baskota and hydrologist of the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, Sauhadra Joshi.
They reached the incident site on Sunday morning where they found three glacial lakes, added Baskota. Earlier, the locals who reached the incident site after the flood and landslide had been saying that there are two glacial lakes. The flood and landslide occurred all of sudden in the night of May 15 caused massive damage at Tilgaun.
A total of 18 families were displaced due to flood. As per the preliminary study, water leaked from two glacial lakes had taken the form of flood.
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Lawmakers stress on focusing on exports against imports in new bill
Kathmandu, May 26: Lawmakers have stressed the need of drafting an Act in a way that it could promote the exports of goods and services against imports.
Airing their views on the Exports (Regulation) Bill-2081 BS in a meeting of the Industry and Commerce, and Labor and Consumers’ Committee under the House of Representatives (HoR) today, they stressed the need of focusing on domestic production and exports.
The meeting was held with representatives from the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies and the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs.
Lawmakers Krishna Kumar Shrestha, Hemraj Rai, Rama Koirala Poudyal, and Kantika Sejuwal, Mahendra Bahadur Shahi underlined the need of proportionality in exports and imports to control revenue leakage.
Shahi said so far our acts are centered on imports and this approach should be changed while Sejuwal stressed the need of simplification of the law formulation procedures.
They called for becoming aware of possibility of the contravention of the Bill provisions with the Customs Act.
During the meeting, Secretary (Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies) Govinda Bahadur Karkee said the fresh bill was designed to make amendments to the act and integrate the relevant acts as per the need of time.
As he said, the Bill aims to further systematise the exports and imports with acknowledging of new innovations in the foreign trade, by making the imports and exports more transparent with effectiveness in the regulation system.
The Bill includes provisions for obtaining a signal number from the relevant department prior to exports or imports, the establishment of an Export Promotion Fund, as well as the creation of a contact office and a Facilitation and Transparency Unit for international trade.
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18 – Nepal-UK Parliamentary Friendship Group meeting concludes
Kathmandu, May 26: The first meeting of Nepal-UK Parliamentary Friendship Group was organized today. A member of the House of Representatives, Biraj Bhakta Shrestha, coordinated the meeting.
The meeting decided to make the parliamentary friendship group more active and effective with an objective of further strengthening long-standing relations between Nepal and UK, shared Shrestha.
Discussion was held among member parliamentarians of the group about various dimensions of Nepal-UK relations in the meeting.
Coordinator Shrestha shared that priorities would be given to regular talks among parliamentarians of both the countries, exchanging experiences and programmes boosting mutual understanding.
The meeting committed to remaining active in order to institutionalize and strengthen parliamentary diplomacy by further deepening historical relations between the two countries.
The Group has made preparation to undertake planned activities along with strategy to work for the welfare of both countries in the coming days.
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12-year-old Pratistha appears with fiction, ‘Dead or Alive’
Kathmandu, May 26: Twelve-year-old Pratistha Badu launched her debut fiction entitled ‘Dead or Alive’ amid a special programme organized here today.
The book was officially unveiled by Prof Dr Lavdew Awasthi, the former Chair of Language Commission, and has been published by Awaran Publication. ‘Dead or Alive’ is a pictorial fiction work inspired by Badu’s personal experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Speaking at the event, literary critic Sharma remarked that the book reflects the deep and often bitter experiences of a child’s mind during the pandemic. “These experiences have been expressed in a very artistic way,” he said.
Anant Wagle, Chairperson of the Children’s Literary and Research Centre, described the book as a “beautiful combination of an adventurous journey, human sentiments, and imaginative storytelling.”
Ramesh Paudel, Managing Director of Awaran Publication, applauded Badu’s writing skills. Her father described her as emotional, determined, and courageous since childhood. “She has the determination and courage to pursue her dreams,” he said.
Litterateur Jaya Budhathoki and school principal Bishwanath Kandel praised the book for its depth and emotional resonance. The school also noted that Badu is equally active and competent in extracurricular activities.
Her grandmother and litterateur Hemanti Joshi, expressed her joy at seeing her granddaughter following in her literary footsteps and entering the world of writing.
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