Weather likely to remain fair in most parts of the country
There is an influence of the westerly and local winds in the country.
The Meteorological Forecasting Division said that there is a partial influence of the water vapor-rich air coming from the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea.
The weather will be partly to generally cloudy in the hilly region and fair in the rest of the country this afternoon, according to the Division.
Light to moderate rain with thunder and lightning is likely to occur at a few places of the hilly region and at one or two places of the rest of the provinces.
Light rain and snowfall is likely to occur at some places of the mountainous region.
Similarly, the weather will be partly cloudy in the hilly region and fair in the rest of the country tonight.
Light to moderate rain accompanied by thunder and lightning is likely to occur at one or two places of the hilly region of the country, including Koshi Province.
There is a possibility of light rain and snowfall at one or two places in the mountainous region of the country.
Deliberations on govt’s policy document
CPN-UML lawmaker Yogesh Kumar Bhattarai has said the policies and programs presented in the House are youth-oriented and investment-friendly. In Tuesday’s meeting of the House of Representatives, he said the policies and programs have ensured suitable policies for providing employment to the youth and for investment.
“There are provisions related to the integrated plan bank and to industrial, environment and youth-centric policies and programs, while priority has been given to policies and programs for agriculture, industry, production and infrastructure development,” Bhattarai said. He argued that if the capital of Nepalis scattered in different parts of the world could be integrated, there would be no need to look to others for national economic development. Lawmaker Bhattarai was of the view that the country would progress through the development of energy, agriculture and tourism.
Rastriya Swatantra Party leader and lawmaker Swarnim Wagle described the government's policies and program as routine. He was airing his views on party basis during a discussion on the government’s annual policy and programs for the upcoming fiscal year 2025/26 in Tuesday’s meeting of the House of Representatives. “This is merely a list of the old programs brought reluctantly by a tired government. The order of the budget is also not aligned. Tourism has been lumped under the physical infrastructure and agriculture under trade. There is also no coordination between ministries of foreign affairs and finance,” he said.
According to him, although the agreement reached between the Nepali Congress and the UML during the formation of the government was aimed at banishing corruption and maintaining good governance, this is completely missing in practice. He said though the NC and UML had agreed to amend the constitution, they could not bring out the details of amendment even after 10 months of the formation of the government.
Wagle pledged his party’s support if the high-level economic reform suggestion report included in the policies and programs was implemented practically. Referring to his party’s support to the government in the Economic and Business Environment Reform and Investment Promotion Bill, he said the issue of re-prioritizing physical infrastructure projects in the policies and programs was positive.
Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) leader and lawmaker Gyanendra Shahi said, “The government’s policy document speaks of bringing about a revolution in agriculture, but the situation is such that farmers are not able to sell fish due to the import of foreign fish, the apples of Jumla remain unsold; at least if a policy is made to not import agricultural products from outside, then the people themselves will be engaged in production.”
‘Policies and programs traditional’
Secretary of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Center) and member of the House of Representatives Devendra Paudel described the government’s policies and programs as ‘traditional’. During a discussion on the policies and programs for the fiscal year 2025/26 in Tuesday’s meeting of the House of Representatives, Paudel said, “Public policy synchrony, social justice, employment of students 20 hours a week and provisions on citizen apps, online tax system, digital foundation, cyber security, digital Nepal and bank system were included in last year’s policies and programs. These have been copied and included in the new policies and programs.”
Stating that the policies and programs should incorporate strong resolve for nation-building, Paudel slammed the policy document for failing to cover the overall national development. According to him, the projects of national pride in the current fiscal year are facing problems due to lack of budget. Paudel said only 31.9 percent of the development budget has been spent in the 10 months of the current fiscal year.
Stressing the need to increase investment in the manufacturing sector, he said, “We sell electricity to neighboring countries at cheaper price but buy it at higher price. This should not be the way.”
Israeli Ambassador Bass calls on Vice President Yadav
Israeli Ambassador to Nepal Shmulik Arie Bass paid a courtesy call on Vice President Ram Sahay Prasad Yadav.
During the meeting held today at the Vice President's Office, various issues including bilateral relations between the two countries, cooperation in the agriculture and labour sectors were discussed, according to the Vice President's Office.
Former minister Pradeep Nepal no more
CPN-UML leader and former minister Pradeep Nepal passed away this afternoon.
Suffering from Parkinson's disease for some years, leader Nepal breathed his last at Norvic Hospital in Kathmandu, UML parliamentary party's chief whip Mahesh Bartaula said.
Nepal served as the Minister for Information and Communications in the country's first communist government led by then Prime Minister Manmohan Adhikari.
Likewise, leader Nepal took charge of the Ministry of Water Resources and Ministry of Education during his political journey.
The former politburo member of the UML, leader Nepal served as the spokesperson and chief of publicity department of the UML.
Also an established literary figure, leader Nepal used to write his opinions and literary creations in the name of Sanjaya Thapa when he was underground during the Panchayat era.
With multiple feathers in his hat, Nepal served as the Editor of Nabayug, Chhalphal and Prakash weeklies and used to write for different newspapers as a columnist.
Leader Nepal was born in 2010 BS at Gogane village in Bhojpur district.
Nepali society is aging
Aging populations used to be a challenge mostly for wealthier nations like Japan. But now, it’s a shared reality—and Nepal is no exception.
According to the Population Division at the National Statistics Office, Nepal’s population is rapidly entering a demographic transition. The proportion of people aged 60 and above rose from 8.1 percent in 2011 to 10.2 percent in 2021.
Binod Sharma Acharya, director at the division, said on Monday that Nepal is expected to become an aging society by 2054. This will naturally pose significant challenges in housing, healthcare, social security, and economic support.
The global average life expectancy rose from 64.2 years in 1990 to 72.6 years in 2019. Acharya said that life expectancy is projected to reach 77.1 years by 2050. In other words, by 2050, one in every six people globally is projected to be elderly—aged 65 or above.
In Nepal, about 80 percent of the population is expected to live up to the age of 60. Among them, approximately 85 percent of women and 75 percent of men are likely to reach this age. Among households in the richest quintile, 84.7 percent of individuals are expected to live up to 60 years, while only 77.7 percent of individuals from the poorest households are expected to do so.
Since 1991, the elderly population in Nepal has nearly tripled. The population pyramid indicates a shift from a youth-dominant structure to one increasingly composed of older individuals. This is mainly due to declining birth rates and increased migration abroad.
The child population is decreasing, and so is the working-age population, resulting in a higher dependency ratio. The census data of 2011 and 2021 show regional variations in the distribution of elderly populations. During this period, the hill region saw a notable increase in its elderly population.
In 2011, the elderly population in the hills was 25.7 percent, which increased to 43.6 percent by 2021. This trend is also evident in the mountain and Tarai regions, though at slightly lower rates. However, compared to the Tarai, the hill and mountain regions have seen a more rapid increase in the elderly population.
Thanks to better healthcare, safer water, and improved nutrition, we are living longer than ever. At the same time, families are having fewer children. In 1950, women had an average of five children; now, that number has fallen to 2.3, according to the UN World Population Prospects, 2022.
For years, many countries benefited from a “demographic bonus”—a large, young workforce that powered economic growth. But now, as that workforce shrinks and the elderly population grows, the bonus is turning into a demographic dilemma.
As elderly population is poised to rapidly expand, governments and policymakers around the world need to consider its various challenges and implications. Chronic illnesses like heart disease, diabetes, and dementia are on the rise. Yet many countries don’t have enough doctors, nurses, or long-term care facilities trained to manage elderly health needs.
Also, fewer workers and more retirees mean economic trouble. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has already said that pension reforms are necessary in many nations to avoid fiscal crises. But not all aging is equal. In many developing countries, people grow old without pensions, healthcare, or secure housing. The World Health Organization (WHO) notes that aging in poverty is often “aging with hardship.”
As the workforce shrinks, economic growth slows, and industries face labor shortages. To offset this, governments and policymakers should come up with a sound plan.
The demographic shift will transform more than just health and economics. It will reshape how we build our infrastructure, how we design transportation, and how we organize work and education.
Nepse surges by 4. 26 points on Tuesday
The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) gained 4. 26 points to close at 2,614. 67 points on Tuesday.
Similarly, the sensitive index surged by 1. 15 points to close at 441. 29 points.
A total of 20,542,764-unit shares of 318 companies were traded for Rs 8. 74 billion.
Meanwhile, Nepal Micro Insurance Company Limited was the top gainer today, with its price surging by 10. 00 percent. Likewise, Wean Nepal Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha Limited (WNLB) was the top loser as its price fell by 10. 00 percent.
At the end of the day, total market capitalization stood at Rs 4. 34 trillion.
Nagarik Unmukti Party demands impartial investigation into arrest of Resham Chaudhary
Lawmakers have drawn the attention of the government on contemporary issues.
During an emergency hour in today's meeting of the House of Representatives, Nagarik Unmukti Party Chairperson Ranjita Shrestha demanded the government to carry out an impartial investigation into the arrest of party patron Resham Chaudhary on April 30.
Similarly, Nepali Congress lawmaker Kantika Sejuwal drew the government's attention to rescue Dipraj Bhandari (26) of Sumli Village in Chhayanath Municipality-14 of Mugu district, who was stranded in the United Arab Emirates for the past three months.
He has been there for the past one year in the course of overseas employment.
Likewise, CPN-UML lawmaker Thakur Prasad Gaire asked the government to complete the construction of the Federal Parliament building which is under construction in Singha Durbar premises.
CPN (Maoist Center) lawmaker Purna Bahadur Gharti Magar drew the government's attention towards the fact that the budget allocated for district headquarters is not spent while Rastriya Swatantra Party lawmaker Manish Jha demanded the government to increase women's participation in the Cabinet.
Gold price increases by Rs 5, 300 per tola on Tuesday
The price of gold has increased by Rs 5, 300 per tola in the domestic market on Tuesday.
According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the precious yellow metal is being traded at Rs 189, 900 per tola today. It was traded at Rs 184, 600 per tola on Monday.
Similarly, the silver being traded at Rs 1,965 per tola today.
