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Scientists, policymakers, and development partners gathered at the 14th National Groundwater Symposium on Thursday to address the escalating water crisis in Madhes Province. The event, held at Hotel Mithila Yatri Niwas, comes as the region faces its first-ever officially declared drought disaster.

The symposium, themed ‘Challenges and Opportunities for Sustainable Development and Management of Groundwater in Nepal’, featured 149 participants from federal and provincial governments, academia, and international organizations. The event was led by the Water and Energy Commission Secretariat (WECS) and the provincial Ministry of Irrigation, Energy and Water Supply (MoEIWS), with technical coordination by the Center of Research for Environment, Energy and Water (CREEW).

Experts at the forum highlighted the severity of the current water shortage. Sanjeeb Baral, Executive Director of WECS, noted that the 2025 crisis was triggered by a monsoon that delivered only 46 percent of normal rainfall, leading to the drying of wells and boreholes across the province. “This is not merely a one-year anomaly,” Baral warned. “It is part of a larger climate change trend that reveals Madhesh’s deep vulnerability to shifting weather patterns.”

Data presented by Raj Kumar Singh, Vice-chairman of the Provincial Policy and Planning Commission, underscored the depletion: while water was once accessible at 100–200 feet, drillers now frequently must reach depths of 450–600 feet to find viable sources.

To combat the water shortage, the provincial government has outlined a three-pillar strategy centered on structural and environmental reform. This approach begins with legal reform through the drafting of dedicated provincial groundwater legislation to provide a clear regulatory framework. It further emphasizes institutional realignment to clarify the specific responsibilities of federal, provincial, and local governments, ensuring a more coordinated response. Finally, the strategy focuses on nature-based implementation, which includes restoring traditional ponds and protecting the critical Chure-Bhabar recharge zones from the impacts of unregulated mining.

Laxmi Pant of MoEIWS also advocated for the completion of the Sunkoshi-Marin Diversion Project, which aims to irrigate 122,000 hectares across six districts. Meanwhile, Manohara Khadka of the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) emphasized the need for ‘water diplomacy’ regarding transboundary aquifers shared with India.

The symposium highlighted significant gaps in current water management. Vishnu Prasad Pandey of Tribhuvan University noted a lack of geospatial maps and integrated databases, while Arinita Maskey Shrestha of UNICEF Nepal pointed to ‘systemic failures’, including low community awareness and a tendency for local governments to manage crises reactively rather than through advance planning.

In his closing remarks, Ram Kumar Khang, Acting Secretary of MoEIWS, committed to extending these technical dialogues to the district and local levels to ensure accountability.

Prime Minister Balen Shah expanded the Cabinet on Friday.  He expanded the Cabinet soon after he took the oath of office and secrecy at Sheetal Niwas.

The ministers recommended by the Prime Minister took the oath of office and secrecy amidst a function at Sheetal Niwas.

The names of some ministers were finalized following a discussion between Rastriya Swatantra Party President Rabi Lamichhane and Parliamentary Party leader Shah.

According to a source at the RSP, Dr Swarnim Wagle has been appointed as Finance Minister, Sudan Gurung as Home Minister, Shirshir Khanal as Foreign Minister, Sunil Lamsal as Minister Physical Infrastructure, Biraj Bhakta Shrestha as Energy Minister, Khadka Raj Ganesh Paudel as Tourism Minister, Sasmit Pokharel as Education Minister, Sobita Gautam ass Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs, Pratibha Rawal as Minister of General Administration, Bikram Timilsina as Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Nisha Mehata as Minister for Health and Population, Gita Chaudhary as Agriculture Minister, Sita Badi as Minister for Women and Children and Deepak Shah was minister without portfolio.

In a milestone moment for Nepal’s digital creator economy, the global social media giant Instagram featured a video by popular Nepali motovlogger Surakshya KC on its official handle on Thursday morning. The recognition marks a rare instance of a major international tech platform spotlighting a Nepali creator to a global audience. Following the post, Instagram’s official account also followed KC’s profile.

According to KC, the collaboration began several months ago when Instagram representatives initiated contact via direct message. After subsequent communication through email, the platform expressed interest in one of her previously published Reels. “Instagram reached out saying they liked a specific Reel I had posted,” KC shared. “After they requested formal permission to share it, I agreed. Seeing a global platform value my work and reach out personally is incredibly encouraging.”

The video was reshared on the @instagram account with the minimalist caption, “In the moment.” Since the feature, the post has garnered significant international attention, drawing a new wave of global viewers to KC’s content. This feature is being viewed as a significant win for the local influencer industry, proving that high-quality Nepali content has the potential to resonate with an international demographic.

Based in Pokhara, Surakshya KC has built a massive following by documenting her motorcycle expeditions across the diverse terrains of Nepal. Her content focuses on adventure, travel logistics, and the scenic beauty of the Himalayas. Currently, she commands a significant digital footprint with over 942,000 subscribers on YouTube, 603,000 followers on Instagram, and 454,000 followers on TikTok. “This shows that our stories and our journeys can reach the world stage,” KC added.

The National Planning Commission (NPC) has proposed a slew of relief measures and financial incentives to support the reconstruction of private infrastructure damaged during the GenZ protests in September last year.

As per a detailed action plan prepared by the commission, all reconstruction works will be completed within three years. 

The total damage sustained by the private sector has been estimated at Rs 33.54bn. This includes losses suffered by business establishments (Rs 27.49bn) and private homes (Rs 6.05bn). An insurance claim of Rs 23bn has been made for losses incurred by the private sector.

The NPC has proposed 10 types of facilities for the private sector to assist in reconstruction or renovation of infrastructure damaged during the protests. It has suggested that local governments waive off building drawing approval fees for rebuilding damaged private structures. Likewise, it has called for property tax exemptions for up to three years for affected private businesses, depending on the extent of damage.

To ease financial stress on the private sector, the NPC has urged the government to make necessary arrangements for immediate disbursement of insurance claims for insured properties. If insurance companies are facing problems in disbursements due to liquidity shortages, the NPC has proposed the government to provide businesses short-term loans at concessional interest rates.

Similarly, NPC has urged provincial governments to waive off vehicle taxes when deregistering vehicles that were completely destroyed during the protests.

For businesses struggling with liquidity, the commission has recommended restructuring their existing loans. It has proposed allowing companies whose working capital assets were fully damaged to convert their loans into installment-based financing upon request. These restructured loans could retain their existing classification status until the end of the current fiscal timeline, providing relief from immediate financial penalties, NPC added. In addition, the NPC has called on the government to extend the deadline for loan rescheduling and restructuring for affected businesses until mid-July 2026. 

The NPC has also proposed concessional lending for reconstruction. Borrowers seeking loans to rebuild homes, commercial buildings or other physical assets could access credit at a fixed interest rate capped at a base rate plus a premium of just 0.5 percent for up to five years.

Similarly, individuals, who suffered losses while inside public offices during the protests, would be provided compensation for damage to private vehicles, mobile phones, laptops and clothing that claims of such losses are supported by official police documentation. Concerned District Administration Offices would be responsible for distributing relief amounting to up to 25 percent of the total loss to such individuals.

Meanwhile, the NPC has estimated that a total of Rs 36.3bn will be required for reconstruction and management of damages on public property across all three tiers of government. Of this, the federal government will bear the largest share at Rs 24.69bn, followed by Rs 3.74bn by provincial governments and Rs 7.86bn by local levels.

According to the NPC, Rs 19.98bn will be needed for repair and reconstruction of buildings, Rs 6.16bn for procurement of vehicles, and Rs 10.15bn for recovery of other assets.

In terms of annual spending, NPC has said that the federal government may have to allocate Rs 4.34bn in the current fiscal year and Rs 10.17bn each in the following two years. Similarly, provincial governments would require Rs 810m this year and Rs 1.46bn annually for the next two years, while local governments are projected to spend Rs 1.42bn this year and Rs 3.21bn annually over the next two years.

To arrange resources for reconstruction, the NPC has advised the government to cut small, fragmented projects that do not yield immediate results. It has also recommended fully implementing the policy of not undertaking infrastructure projects costing less than Rs 30m at the federal level. The NPC has said that such projects could be transferred to lower tiers of government through conditional grants. It has also suggested discontinuing smaller-scale programs funded through conditional grants.

In a celebratory announcement on International Women’s Day, Gauthali Entertainment has confirmed that the highly anticipated Nepali feature film ‘Ek Mutthi Badal: My Share of Sky’ will arrive in domestic theaters on May 15. Presented by Mana Production and distributed by RR Films, the movie is poised to be a landmark release in the region's cinematic calendar.

Directed and written by Sahara Sharma, the film is an intimate family drama that unfolds over the course of a single day. It explores the complex emotional landscape of three generations living under one roof, navigating the friction between personal aspirations and societal expectations. Sharma, who previously made history as the youngest female director to open the Kathmandu International Mountain Film Festival with Chasing Rainbows, continues to break barriers as the first Nepali woman to receive the prestigious Hubert Bals Fund + Europe Post-Production Grant.

The production boasts a significant international pedigree, marked by a Nepal-Germany co-production partnership. Produced by Abhimanyu Dixit alongside German producer Sara Fazilat of Third Culture Kids, the project has been refined through elite global platforms including the Cannes Film Festival’s Marche du Film, the Locarno Open Doors Consultancy, and the NFDC Film Bazaar. This global outlook is reflected in the technical crew, featuring Vietnamese cinematographer Linh Dan Nguyen Phan, Indian editor Deepa Bhatia (Taare Zameen Par), and production designer Yashasvi Sabharwal, whose previous work contributed to a Grand Prix win at Cannes.

The cast features a blend of contemporary stardom and veteran prestige. Leading actress Aanchal Sharma takes on the central role of Maili, starring alongside newcomer Sahayog Adhikari. The film also marks a momentous return for veteran actor Nisha Sharma, who returns to the silver screen after a thirty-year hiatus to play the family matriarch. They are joined by Usha Rajak, Manish Niraula, Sekhar Chapagain, Asmita Gautam, and Gourab Bista, completing a generational ensemble that promises to deliver a poignant look at the modern Nepali household.

The 70th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) is being held in New York City from March 9 to 19. Nepal was represented at the session by Minister for Women, Children and Senior Citizens Shradha Shrestha, who led the country’s participation in various high-level meetings and discussions.

Minister Shrestha attended the session along with a Nepali delegation that included Secretary Radhika Aryal and Joint-secretary Abha Shrestha from the Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizens.

On the first day of the session, March 9, Minister Shrestha participated in two high-level events. At a program on strengthening legal systems to end child marriage, organized by Just Rights for Children and the Office of the First Lady of Sierra Leone, she presented Nepal’s views and ongoing efforts to eliminate child marriage.

Speaking at the event, Minister Shrestha said child marriage is a serious violation of children’s fundamental rights and stressed the need for stronger legal frameworks and multisectoral interventions. She also reiterated Nepal’s commitment to eliminating child marriage by 2030 and called for global attention toward declaring an international day dedicated to ending child marriage.

The minister also addressed a high-level evening reception organized to mark the 45th anniversary of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), with participation from UN Women, the UN Foundation and member states.

On March 10, Minister Shrestha took part in four important events. During a parallel event organized by Beyond Beijing Committee Nepal, Asia Pacific Women’s Watch, dZi Foundation and Asian-Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women (ARROW), discussions focused on strengthening legal pathways for sexual and reproductive health rights and justice. The minister shared Nepal’s perspectives and interacted with organizations working in this field.

She also participated in a high-level side event organized under the UNFPA-UNICEF Global Programme to End Child Marriage, where she highlighted Nepal’s efforts to end child marriage. These include strengthening legal and policy frameworks, expanding access to justice, improving birth and marriage registration systems, promoting girls’ education and raising community awareness.

Minister Shrestha further participated in the ministerial roundtable and general discussion sessions under the CSW priority theme of ensuring and strengthening access to justice for women and girls through inclusive and equitable legal systems and by addressing discriminatory laws, policies and structural barriers. During the discussions, she presented Nepal’s national statement highlighting progress, challenges and ongoing efforts related to gender equality, justice and women’s empowerment.

On March 11, Minister Shrestha represented Nepal in three high-level side events. At a closed ministerial roundtable hosted by the government of Sierra Leone on advancing the nexus between sexual and reproductive health rights and gender equality, she shared Nepal’s efforts and experiences in promoting sexual and reproductive health rights and gender equality.

She also stressed the importance of strengthening multilateral cooperation and integrating gender equality and sexual and reproductive health rights into broader agendas such as climate action, peacebuilding and development.

In another discussion titled “The Race for Financing: What is and isn’t working for Adolescent Girls,” the minister highlighted Nepal’s efforts to invest in adolescent girls while acknowledging existing challenges. She noted plans to strengthen data systems, expand digital monitoring and enhance partnerships with the private sector, and called on the international community and development partners to increase long-term, multi-year investments in Nepal.

Minister Shrestha also spoke at a high-level side event related to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, where she highlighted Nepal’s constitutional provisions ensuring equality and inclusive representation, including reservation policies in the civil service and the growing participation of women in diplomacy and peace processes. She also shared Nepal’s efforts to implement recommendations from the CEDAW Committee through a national roadmap aimed at eliminating discriminatory laws and structural barriers.

On March 12, the minister also participated in a high-level meeting under the ministerial segment focusing on violence against women and girls, where she shared Nepal’s efforts and progress in addressing gender-based violence.

During her visit, Minister Shrestha also met members of the Nepali diaspora in New York and held discussions on Nepal’s current political situation, social development, future prospects and the role of the Nepali community abroad in national development.

The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has done more than just sweep the old guard from power in the House of Representatives elections held last week. With a clear majority in the 275-member lower house, it has become the largest political force in the county and a beacon of hope for millions of people. 

However, as the celebrations fade, the new government, the new finance minister to be precise, faces a sobering reality: the task of translating populist fervor into a functional, resilient economy.

The economy the new government inherits is a study in contradictions. On one hand, the macroeconomic indicators are deceptively stable. The recent central central bank data show inflation at decades-low levels, and foreign exchange reserves have bolstered to nearly Rs 3,200bn by mid-Dec 2025—more than half of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). However, this stability is a mere thin veil over structural decay. The new finance minister’s desk will be piled with reports of subdued domestic demand, slow credit disbursements, rising non-performing loan (NPL) levels in the banking sector, and waning investor confidence. 

Although the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has projected a real GDP growth of 5.2 percent for the upcoming fiscal year, the real situation of the economy tells a story of empty villages, industries running at below capacity, agricultural land remaining fallow, and a youth population migrating abroad in record numbers. The new minister inherits a nation where remittance is the primary life-support system, accounting for nearly 24 percent of the GDP, while the domestic manufacturing and industrial sectors continue to shrink.

The RSP, in its election manifesto, has promised a transformation that sounds almost mythical in the Nepali context. The plan envisions building a $100bn economy by more than doubling the country’s GDP within the next five years. It also aims to raise per capita income to $3,000, up from the current estimate of around $1,650. In addition, it has vowed to create 1.2m jobs to reduce forced labor migration.

To achieve this, the party has banked on ‘development diplomacy’, a strategy aimed at courting investment from India, China, and the Western world without falling into geopolitical debt traps. 

Addressing voters after his victory in Chitwan last week, RSP President Rabi Lamichhane said his party would align development priorities, foreign policy objectives, and private sector interests. “We will take relations to new heights by cooperating in development. Our policies will be to protect and safeguard the private sector,” Lamichhane said. “RSP will continuously work to create an environment for domestic investment and to ensure investment security.”

Likewise, in his reply to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s congratulatory message on social media platform X, Lamichhane said the RSP and its government will remain dedicated to fostering a relationship built on mutual respect and shared prosperity where the party will prioritize development diplomacy. 

Perhaps the most immediate and symbolic challenge lies in the party’s stance on the duties on automobile imports. RSP Vice-chair Swarnim Wagle, who is expected to lead the finance ministry in the new government, earlier told the media that the new government would review the exorbitant duties of as much as 300 percent on motor vehicle imports.

This represents a familiar two-sided challenge for a finance minister. On one hand, lowering these duties would lower the cost of living, stimulate the transport sector, and please the urban middle class that fueled the party’s electoral victory. On the other hand, motor vehicle taxes have been one of the primary sources of revenue for the government. Reducing them necessitates a radical broadening of the tax base elsewhere—something previous governments have failed to do. 

The intensifying conflict in West Asia has already prompted the government to suspend labor approvals for 12 countries. If the Gulf crisis spirals further, it would not only choke the flow of remittances but saddle the new government with the herculean task of rescuing and repatriating over 1.7m workers. Managing this massive influx of returnees within a stagnant domestic job market will be a challenge of unprecedented proportions for the new administration. 

The prospects, however, are genuine. For the first time in decades, Nepal has a government with a clear mandate and a younger, more technocratic leadership. If the RSP can simplify the business environment and leverage its development diplomacy to attract high-quality FDI, the target of achieving seven percent annual growth is not impossible.

However, the challenges are equally real. The new government will have no representation in the National Assembly which remains dominated by the opposition. Any radical fiscal legislation will not pass through the upper house. Moreover, the youth that voted for the RSP expects immediate results. If the promised 1.2m jobs do not materialize quickly, the same ‘blue wave’ that brought them to power could turn into a tide of disillusionment.

The new finance minister will not just inherit a fiscal budget to implement, s/he will be inheriting the hopes of a generation that has finally dared to believe in a ‘New Nepal’. It remains to be seen whether the bell can ring in actual prosperity.

The government has started preparation for the budget for the upcoming fiscal year 2026/27 that begins in mid-July.

The Revenue Advisory Committee, formed by the Ministry of Finance to collect recommendations on revenue policy, tax structure, customs rates, revenue administration and broader macroeconomic reforms, on Monday  called on stakeholders to provide comprehensive suggestions on tax rates and revenue policies for the next budget.

According to a finance ministry, the committee will collect suggestions from different stakeholders, compile them, analyze them and submit its recommendation to the ministry by mid-May.

The government is constitutionally bound to present a budget for the next fiscal year on May 28.

The committee, chaired by Revenue Secretary Bhupal Baral, has sought suggestions from government agencies, private-sector umbrella organizations, academia and the general public. Stakeholders can submit their recommendations through the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies, the Inland Revenue Department, the Department of Customs, the Revenue Investigation Department, and the Department of Money Laundering Investigation, and their subsidiary offices, among others.

The committee has been mandated to recommend policy and legal reforms related to income tax, value-added tax (VAT), excise duty, the education service fee, digital service tax, taxes on e-commerce, and other internal taxes governed by the Finance Act. It has also been tasked with reviewing tax rates, simplifying procedures, broadening the tax base, improving the overall tax system, and proposing reforms in revenue administration and organizational structure.

Beyond internal taxation, the committee’s scope includes industrial promotion and protection, import and export policy, trade in services, investment promotion, supply management, and tax and non-tax incentives. It will also review customs rates and measures to protect domestic production, improve valuation systems, facilitate trade, strengthen border management, and reform customs administration.

Controlling revenue leakage and curbing smuggling are the other key focus areas of the committee. The committee will study trends in illicit trade, foreign exchange regulation, financial crimes, and asset laundering and recommend legal and institutional reforms where necessary. Revenue and policy reforms in agriculture, energy, tourism, civil aviation, and natural resource management have also been incorporated into its assessment.

The panel will also study issues in banking and financial institutions, insurance, remittance flows, capital markets, cooperatives and real estate transactions, particularly in relation to revenue mobilization and regulatory gaps. It has been authorized to identify new non-tax revenue sources, review and rationalize rates, address tax duplication among federal, provincial and local governments, and suggest improvements in intergovernmental revenue management and revenue sharing.

To make its sectoral analysis more effective, the committee has formed nine thematic subcommittees—Internal Revenue; Revenue Leakage and Investigation; Customs; Industry, Commerce, Investment and Export Promotion; Agriculture, Energy and Tourism; Bank, Financial Institutions, Insurance Cooperative and Capital Market, Non-Tax and Inter-Government Revenue Management; Overall Economic; and Asset Laundering Prevention and Investigation. 

Members of the committee include an Executive Director from Nepal Rastra Bank, a joint secretary from the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies, and two experts—an economist and a tax specialist—nominated by the Finance Ministry. 

Similarly, academia is represented by the chief or a designated senior professor from the Central Department of Economics at Tribhuvan University, while private-sector participation includes the presidents or designated senior officials of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, the Nepal Economic Association, the Confederation of Nepalese Industries, the Nepal Chamber of Commerce, the Federation of Nepalese Industries and Commerce, and the Federation of Nepal Cottage and Small Industries. A joint secretary from the ministry’s Revenue Management Division is the member secretary of the committee