Submit your Article

The CPN-UML is holding a meeting of its Secretariat today to finalize candidates for the upcoming House of Representatives election.

The meeting has been scheduled for 1 pm. Party leaders said the meeting has been called to decide candidates as the election schedule sets Magh 6 for candidate nominations in all 165 constituencies.

The party’s constituency coordination committees, district committees, and provincial committees have already recommended candidates. Based on these recommendations, the names of around 35 leaders, including party chair KP Sharma Oli, have been unanimously proposed so far.

As the party has not yet decided to form an electoral alliance with any other party, the UML is expected to field candidates with the party’s own election symbol in all constituencies.

Earlier, the Central Committee had decided to authorize the Secretariat to finalize candidates for the election. 

The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has called a meeting of its Central Committee.

According to a party leader, the meeting will be held on Sunday at 2 pm at the party’s central office in Chhauni. The meeting is expected to finalize candidates for all 165 constituencies for the upcoming House of Representatives election scheduled for Falgun 21.

As per the election timetable, candidate nominations for all 165 constituencies are set for Magh 6. The party has convened the Central Committee meeting to make decisions related to the nomination process.

Nepali Congress leader Shekhar Koirala has said that internal disputes within the party will be resolved through dialogue.

Speaking to journalists on Saturday before heading to Sanepa, Koirala said the party would reunite by addressing differences through discussion. “It will be resolved. It has to be resolved. We must engage in dialogue. Through dialogue, the disputes in the Nepali Congress will be settled,” he said, adding that conflicts occur everywhere but are ultimately resolved through understanding.

On Friday, the Election Commission granted official recognition to the working committee led by party president Gagan Thapa, who was elected through the party’s special general convention.

Earlier, before the Election Commission announced its decision, the Deuba faction had held a press conference in Sanepa, warning of a nationwide protest if the decision did not go in its favor.

Meanwhile, a meeting of the dissolved central committee is being held to review the Election Commission’s decision and decide future strategy.

The Nepali Congress is holding a meeting of its Central Working Committee today. This will be the second meeting since the party selected its new leadership.

The meeting has been scheduled for 11:30 am at Arpan Banquet in New Baneshwor. It comes after the leadership led by Gagan Thapa received official recognition following the special general convention on Friday.

All office bearers and central committee members have been requested to attend the meeting. Party spokesperson Devraj Chalise said the meeting will discuss decisions taken in the previous meeting as well as issues related to the upcoming elections.

The Kalimati Fruits and Vegetable Market Development Committee has fixed the wholesale prices of agricultural products for today.

According to the committee, the price of large Indian tomatoes has been set at Rs 105 per kg, small local tomatoes at Rs 70, small tunnel tomatoes at Rs 100, small Indian tomatoes at Rs 80, and Terai tomatoes at Rs 95 per kg. Red potatoes are priced at Rs 32 per kg, Indian red potatoes at Rs 27, and dry Indian onions at Rs 45 per kg.

Similarly, local carrots are priced at Rs 80 per kg, Terai carrots at Rs 70, local cabbage at Rs 80, Terai cabbage at Rs 55, coconut cabbage at Rs 60, local cauliflower at Rs 120, Jhyapu cauliflower at Rs 140, Terai cauliflower at Rs 100, red radish at Rs 40, white radish (local) at Rs 20, white radish (hybrid) at Rs 25, long brinjal at Rs 70, round brinjal at Rs 80, and maize beans at Rs 50 per kg.

Other vegetables include peas at Rs 70 per kg, local ghee beans at Rs 140, hybrid ghee beans at Rs 120, rajma beans at Rs 90, French beans at Rs 100, bitter gourd at Rs 180, bottle gourd at Rs 90, Terai pointed gourd at Rs 240, ridge gourd at Rs 110, ripe pumpkin at Rs 50, green pumpkin (long and round) at Rs 40, turnip at Rs 80, okra at Rs 120, sweet potato at Rs 70, yam at Rs 60, taro at Rs 65, and chayote at Rs 90 per kg.

Leafy vegetables have also been priced, with mustard greens at Rs 50 per kg, spinach at Rs 80, cress at Rs 80, fenugreek greens at Rs 80, radish greens at Rs 45, green onion at Rs 60, basil at Rs 100, yam at Rs 80, oyster mushroom at Rs 130, button mushroom at Rs 450, king oyster mushroom at Rs 300, shiitake mushroom at Rs 1,000, and asparagus at Rs 2,050 per kg.

The committee has also fixed prices of broccoli at Rs 130 per kg, beetroot at Rs 80, sajivan at Rs 420 per kg, red cabbage at Rs 100, jhiri greens at Rs 130, knol khol at Rs 70, celery at Rs 250, parsley at Rs 600, fennel greens at Rs 80, mint at Rs 400, gandhe mula at Rs 80, tamarind at Rs 180, bamboo shoots at Rs 120, tofu at Rs 150, gundruk at Rs 400, and tree tomato at Rs 260 per kg.

Among fruits, apples (Jhole) are priced at Rs 280 per kg and Fuji apples at Rs 350 per kg. Bananas are selling at Rs 180 per dozen, lemons at Rs 100 per kg, pomegranate at Rs 350, Nepali oranges at Rs 140, green watermelon at Rs 100, sweet orange at Rs 120, junar at Rs 120, and pineapple at Rs 155 per piece.

Cucumbers (local) are priced at Rs 140 per kg and hybrid cucumbers at Rs 85 per kg. Other fruits include lime at Rs 70, Chinese pear at Rs 230, Nepali papaya at Rs 70, Indian papaya at Rs 110, lapsi at Rs 120, strawberry at Rs 500, kiwi at Rs 300, and avocado at Rs 350 per kg.

Spices and other items include amla at Rs 80 per kg, ginger at Rs 100, dried chilli at Rs 420, green chilli at Rs 120, bullet chilli at Rs 125, mache chilli at Rs 90, capsicum at Rs 100, akabare chilli at Rs 650 per kg, green garlic at Rs 120, and coriander at Rs 120 per kg.

Likewise, dry Chinese garlic is priced at Rs 280 per kg, dry Nepali garlic at Rs 200, dried chayapi at Rs 160, green chayapi at Rs 200, dried fish at Rs 1,000, fresh rohu fish at Rs 340, bachuwa fish at Rs 280, and chhadi fish at Rs 250 per kg.

The national economy posted a modest year-on-year expansion in the first three months of fiscal year 2025/26, even as quarter-on-quarter indicators point to a contraction, according to the National Accounts Estimates released by the Nepal Statistics Office (NSO).

Based on seasonally unadjusted data—figures that are not corrected for seasonal patterns such as festivals or harvest cycles, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at basic prices grew by 3.02 percent in the first quarter of 2025/26 compared to the same period of the previous fiscal year. 

The year-on-year growth, however, remained relatively subdued due to contraction in several production-related activities, including food grain crops, forestry products, life insurance services, and domestically produced construction materials. Despite these pressures, growth in electricity generation and distribution, financial activities, livestock production, fruits and vegetables, trade services, and tourism inflows helped keep overall GDP growth in positive territory.

According to the NSO, estimates of seasonally unadjusted quarterly GDP are first produced on the basis of indicators related to various economic activities. Estimates of seasonally adjusted quarterly GDP are then prepared using the X-12 ARIMA method introduced by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Quarterly growth rates are calculated based on these estimates, according to the NSO, it added.

According to the estimates, all 18 industrial classifications recorded positive growth on a year-on-year basis during the quarter. This indicates a broad-based but moderate recovery when compared with the first quarter of 2024/25.

In contrast, seasonally adjusted data show that the economy contracted by 1.68 percent in the first quarter of 2025/26 compared to the fourth quarter of 2024/25. According to the NSO, this contraction reflects negative growth in 13 out of 18 industrial sectors, which outweighed modest expansion in the remaining sectors.

Among sectoral performances on a year-on-year basis based on seasonally unadjusted data, the electricity and gas sector recorded the highest growth at 14.91 percent, supported by increased power generation and distribution. This was followed by financial and insurance activities, which grew by 7.07 percent, and professional, scientific and technical services, which expanded by 5.52 percent.

The agriculture, forestry and fisheries sector—the single largest contributor to the economy—posted a growth rate of 1.36 percent. Although paddy production declined during the period, modest increases in livestock, vegetable, and fruit production helped keep overall agricultural value added in positive territory.

Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles & motorcycles, the second-largest sector, was estimated to have grown by 3.89 percent year-on-year, driven by growth in domestic production of tradable goods as well as higher imports. On the lower end of the spectrum, water supply, sewerage and waste management activities recorded the weakest growth at 1.11 percent, followed closely by human health and social work activities at 1.19 percent.

Seasonally adjusted quarter-on-quarter data present a more challenging picture. During the review period, only five sectors registered positive growth, while the remaining 13 sectors experienced contraction. The electricity and gas sector again stood out with a 4.95 percent growth compared to the previous quarter.

The agriculture, forestry and fisheries sector, however, contracted by 1.65 percent . Mining and quarrying saw the sharpest decline at 10.05 percent, followed by public administration, defense and compulsory social security-related activities, which shrank by 5.95 percent.

The NSO said the negative quarter-on-quarter performance largely explains the overall contraction in seasonally adjusted GDP during the first quarter, even though year-on-year indicators remain positive.

The Nepal Geotechnical Society (NGS) organized the Geotechnical Model Competition and NGS Youth Symposium 2026 at the Institute of Engineering, Pulchowk Campus, Kathmandu, on Friday. The event was held as a preparatory program for the international conference GeoMandu 2027, scheduled for 17-19 March 2027, under the theme “Mountain Geotechnics for Infrastructure Development.”

The competition showcased physical and conceptual models addressing infrastructure challenges in Nepal’s geologically complex and mountainous terrain. Topics included landslides, sinkholes, earthquake damage, foundation systems, pavements, geogrid applications, hydropower structures, flood and water management, slope stabilization, and tunnelling. The event saw participation from four universities, eight engineering colleges, and eleven student teams, mostly undergraduate engineering students.

Pulchowk Campus won first prize for its model “Siphon Drainage System for Road Slopes to Reduce Landslides.” Universal Engineering and Science College secured first runner-up for “Smart Geotechnical Instrumentation and Early Warning System for Landslide,” while Himalaya College of Engineering placed second runner-up for “Stability Analysis of Cut Slope at Araniko Highway, Dhulikhel, Kavre.” Consolation prizes were awarded to Paschimanchal Campus for a model on smart water management for flood control and groundwater recharge, and to another team from Pulchowk Campus for “Static and Dynamic Analysis of Geogrid-Reinforced Soil in Foundations.”

Alongside the competition, the NGS Youth Symposium 2026 provided a platform for technical exchange and professional discussion. Chaired by Dhundi Raj Pathak, Convener of GeoMandu 2027, the symposium featured technical lectures and a thematic address focused on linking academic research with field practice. Presentations were delivered by Aadarsha Dhakal on modelling of laterally loaded pile foundations, and by Astha Bhatta on flow dynamics and energy dissipation in hydropower systems.

A thematic lecture by Rajan KC highlighted the role of geotechnical engineering in developing safe and resilient road infrastructure in Nepal. The program also included a panel discussion on strengthening transport infrastructure through geotechnical planning, design, and practice. Moderated by Abhash Acharya, the panel brought together experts from government, academia, and the private sector, who emphasized the need for early geotechnical involvement in infrastructure projects and systematic documentation of geotechnical challenges.

NGS General Secretary Kalpana Adhikari outlined the society’s ongoing work in capacity building, youth engagement, and international collaboration. NGS President Indra Prasad Acharya and Conference Chair Mandip Subedi said the event was part of long-term preparations for GeoMandu 2027, which will also host the 11th Asian Young Geotechnical Engineers Conference and the 1st South Asian Conference on Geotechnics in Nepal.

The event concluded with an award ceremony, where awards were presented by Prof. Sushil Bahadur Bajracharya, Dean of the Institute of Engineering, and Bijaya Jaishi, Director General of the Department of Roads.

The Weather Forecasting Division has stated that currently there is no influence of a remarkable weather system in the country.

This afternoon some areas of the Tarai region will experience mist.

According to the Division, there will be partly cloudy weather in the high hill and mountainous areas of Koshi and Sudurpashchim Provinces, while the rest of the areas will remain mainly fair.

Similarly, some areas in the Tarai region will experience mist tonight.

In Karnali Sudurpashchim Provinces, the weather will be partly cloudy, while the rest of the areas will remain mainly clear.

The Division has urged one and all concerned to take necessary precautions as the mist may have partial effects on daily life, tourism, health, as well as air and road transportation.