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The government has missed its revenue target for the first four months of the current fiscal year, collecting just 77.49 percent of the planned amount. The government has set a target to raise Rs 1,480bn in fiscal year 2025/26 which began in mid-July. However, revenue collection by the end of the first four months stood at Rs 329.51bn, significantly below the target for the period. The government had aimed to mobilize Rs 425.23bn by mid-November.

The shortfall is particularly stark for the fourth month (mid-October to mid-November). Total collection during the period stood at Rs 78.33bn against the targeted Rs 103.7bn. Total revenue collection over the first four months of the current fiscal year, however, was marginally up compared to the same period of the previous fiscal year. According to the finance ministry, total revenue collection in these four months was up 6.53 percent compared to the same period of the last fiscal year when the government mobilized Rs 329.02bn.

Breakdown of the revenue data shows that customs duty remained the largest contributor to the government revenue. But mid-November, the government collected Rs 74.59bn from customs duty. Of this, imports generated Rs 60bn, exports brought in Rs 660 million, while infrastructure tax amounted to Rs 5.66bn. Other customs-related income included Rs 240 million in miscellaneous revenue, Rs 2.45bn in agriculture reform fees, Rs 3.75bn in road maintenance charges, and Rs 1.76bn in road construction and upgrade fees.

Value Added Tax (VAT) remained the government’s largest single revenue source in the revenue period, generating Rs 101.71bn in the first four months. VAT from domestic production, sales and services contributed Rs 44.92bn, while VAT from imports reached Rs 62.19bn. Excise collection reached Rs 62bn during the period. The government also mobilized Rs 2bn from education service fees and Rs 61.15bn in income tax. Non-tax revenue stood at Rs 1.27bn.

Despite the slight year-on-year growth, the inability to meet periodic targets has raised concerns about the government’s ability to achieve its ambitious annual revenue goal. Officials say sluggish imports, subdued economic activity and lower consumption continue to weigh on revenue performance.

The government missed its revenue target by nearly 17 percent in the previous fiscal year as well. Of the Rs 1,419bn it had aimed to collect, only Rs 1,178bn was raised, underscoring a continuing trend of underperformance in revenue mobilization.

The government has failed to meet targets on spending fronts as well. According to the Financial Comptroller General’s Office, government spending over the first four months of 2025/26 remained sluggish, with capital expenditure performing especially poorly. Of the total Rs 407.88bn allocated for capital spending this fiscal year, only Rs 25.62bn—just 6.28 percent of the target—had been utilized during the review period. 

Overall treasury expenditure reached Rs 470.10bn, or 23.93 percent of the annual allocation. Recurrent spending stood at Rs 321.89bn, equivalent to 27.26 percent of the target, while financing expenditure, which is used to service public debt, amounted to Rs 122.58bn, or 32.67 percent of the target. The government met 81.87 percent of its spending targets in the previous fiscal year.

Prime Minister Sushila Karki has called an all-party meeting on Wednesday.

According to the Prime Minister's Secretariat, the meeting has been called for 4 pm at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers today to discuss the current government's priorities.

The interim government, headed by Prime Minister Karki, is committed to ensuring the successful conduct of the House of Representatives election set for March 5.

The Bala Chaturdashi festival is being observed throughout the country today by commemorating the departed souls.

Devotees have gathered in the Shiva temples including the Pashupatinath Temple since last night to observe the festival.

In the night, they light lamps in commemoration of the departed family members and spend the night observing a vigil. In the wee hours the next day, the devotees sow the Satbeej (seven kinds of grains) along the premises of the shrines this morning. 

The festival formally began on the night of the 13th day of the waning moon in the month of Mangsir and is concluded today by spreading the Satbeej along the premises of shrines of Hindu god Shiva.

A large number of devotees have thronged the Pashupatinath Temple to observe the Bala Chaturdashi festival. Those unable to visit reached the temples of Shiva nearby their residences and localities and observed the festival.

Four houses were destroyed in a fire at Temba Bazaar in Mikkakhola Rural Municipality-4, Taplejung on Tuesday.

Vice Chairman of the rural municipality, Dandu Lama Sherpa, informed that the houses belonging to Indra Kumar Sanwa, Raj Kumar Sanwa, Anil Sanwa, and Bishnu Sanwa were gutted in the fire.

Everything in the houses turned into ashes. However, the human loss was prevented in the fire.

Detailed information on the incident is awaited, according to the District Police Office, Taplejung.

The Weather Forecasting Division has predicted fair weather across the country today.

There is no impact of any noticeable weather system in Nepal at present.

However, it will be partly cloudy in the hilly regions of Koshi, Bagmati, Gandaki and Karnali Provinces in the afternoon.

Few places in the mountainous belt of Koshi Province may have light rains and snowfall.

The weather remains 20-to-22-degree Centigrade maximum in the Kathmandu Valley. The minimum temperature recorded at 5:30 am was 9.4 degrees Centigrade today.

Irrespective of numerous projects and plans forwarded and put in place by government and NGO initiatives on health, sanitation and public awareness in Madhes Province, an appalling fact has been revealed that a local level alone has over 4,000 households without toilet facilities.

Lahan Municipality of Siraha district was found to have no toilets for 4,200 households. It was disclosed after a recent survey conducted by the municipality itself. 

Of 24,700 houses in the municipality, 17 percent were deprived of access to toilets, posing a serious threat to health and sanitation.

Municipality Mayor Mahesh Prasad Chaudhary shared this information by organizing a press conference on Tuesday.

Contradictorily, Lahan Municipality was declared an open defecation free zone in 2017. "It is worrying that such a huge number of households are running without basic needs. Time has come to change the situation by reaching every household," he said.

Dalit, landless, poor and disaster-prone settlements are continuing open defecation. The local level made the preliminary analyses that lack of fecal sludge management center clean water was perpetuating the problem. Even the toilets built earlier were left useless, unrepaired.

Proper places for setting up toilets would be identified for the landless people. Even the settlement of the landless squatters could be changed along with the sanitation facility, he added.

The municipality has further planned to mobilize people's representatives, social activists, community associations, schools and youth groups for three months to visit the houses and remind the people of the need for toilets.

"Toilet is not only for defecation but an indication of health and dignity," Mayor Chaudhary said, adding that the sanitation drive is successful only when it has people's participation.

Meanwhile, World Toilet Day is observed every year on November 19.

Across the globe, 3.4 billion people are still living without safely managed sanitation.

An industrial fair is being organized in Butwal in a bid to promote use of domestic products. The fair will be organized together with an agricultural and tourism festival from December 18.

The organizer of the event, Rupandehi Chamber of Commerce, shared this information amidst a press meet on Tuesday. The fair and festival would take place at the Modern Exhibition Place.

Chairman of the Chamber, Krishna Prasad Parajuli, informed that the fair has aimed at promoting the use of domestic industrial products. It is expected to protect and develop industries as a backbone of the national economy, he added.

He further said, "In addition to the exhibition of locally produced goods, the fair and festival feature new technology, art, culture, marketing of agriculture, tourism promotion, encouragement to youth entrepreneurs, self-entrepreneurship, and interaction."  

There would be some 500 stalls in total, categorizing industrial technology, agriculture, handicraft, garment, bakery, leather shoes, food grains and information technology. It is the 16th fair in the series.

The second day of the Nepal Premier League (NPL) featured two matches at the Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground, with the Chitwan Rhinos and Biratnagar Kings emerging victorious.

The first match of the day saw the Chitwan Rhinos clinch a four-wicket win against the Karnali Yaks. After winning the toss, Chitwan’s decision to field first initially appeared costly as Karnali’s opener, Priyank Panchal, launched a devastating assault on the bowling attack. Panchal’s innings of 90 from just 48 balls, which included seven boundaries and six sixes, formed the backbone of the Karnali’ total. Despite his dominance, the Chitwan bowlers did well to restrict the flow of runs in the death overs, limiting Karnali to 166 for 3. Spinner Ravi Bopara was notably economical, conceding only 18 runs from his three overs and taking the crucial wicket of Panchal.

In reply, the Chitwan’ chase was marked by periods of pressure and timely acceleration. They suffered early setbacks with the dismissals of Dawid Malan and Dev Khanal, leaving them at a precarious 29 for 2. A 38-run partnership between Deepak Bohara (42) and Ravi Bopara steadied the innings before another flurry of wickets swung the momentum back towards Karnali. With the game in the balance, Bopara shifted gears to complete a vital half-century. However, the match-winning impetus came from Saif Zaib, who blasted 38 runs from a mere 16 deliveries, including four sixes, to dismantle Karnali’s bowling attack in the final overs. The Chitwan eventually reached their target of 167 with five balls to spare. For his pivotal 52-run knock and key wicket, Bopara was awarded the Player of the Match.

The evening game was a display of pure batting firepower as the Biratnagar Kings secured a comprehensive 53-run victory over the Pokhara Avengers. Put into bat first, Biratnagar amassed a formidable total of 220 for 6, highest in the second season. The innings was set up by a spectacular 132-run stand between Lokesh Bam and Martin Guptill. Guptill was the initial aggressor, racing to 61 off 35 balls, while Bam anchored the innings with a composed 72 from 48 deliveries. The onslaught was continued by Shubham Ranjane, who smashed 38 from 16 balls to propel the Biratnagar past the 220-mark, leaving the Pokhara’s bowlers with an economy rate soaring above 10 for the night.

Facing a daunting required rate of 11.05, the Pokhara Avengers began their chase with explosive intent. Adam Rossington (39 from 21 balls) and Kushal Bhurtel (59 from 31 balls) took the powerplay score to 77 for 1, keeping their team in contention. However, the dismissal of Bhurtel triggered a dramatic and catastrophic collapse. The middle order, including Jimmy Neesham and Trit Raj Das, fell cheaply to the spin of Sandeep Lamichhane, who finished with exceptional figures of 2 for 18 from his four overs. From a promising 88 for 1, the Pokhara lost their last nine wickets for 79 runs, eventually being bowled out for 167 in the 19th over. The Biratnagar bowling was a collective effort, with Marchant de Lange, Pratis GC, and Shubham Ranjane all claiming two wickets each.

The Nepal Premier League continues on Wednesday with a single day-night fixture at the same venue. The Kathmandu Gorkhas will take on the Sudurpaschim Royals, with the match scheduled to begin at 4:00 pm.

This match will mark the season opener for the Sudurpaschim Royals, who will be looking to start their campaign on a positive note. The Kathmandu Gorkhas, in contrast, will be playing their second game, buoyed by a victory over the Janakpur Bolts in the tournament opener on Monday.