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Official development assistance (ODA) disbursements expanded by 15.5 percent to reach $1.6bn in the fiscal year 2024/25, according to the Development Cooperation Report 2024/25 unveiled by the Ministry of Finance earlier this week. Such disbursements stood at $1.39bn in the previous fiscal year.

According to the report, disbursement in 2024/25 is also significantly higher than the ten-year average, indicating a normalization of development finance flows following recent fluctuations. During the review period, the government signed 33 ODA agreements with 12 development partners, amounting to a total commitment of $1.98bn. Of this, debt financing accounted for $1.57bn, or 79.1 percent, while grants made up the remaining 20.9 percent equivalent to $413.1m.

Loans continued to be the primary mode of assistance in 2024/25, comprising 66.9 percent of total disbursements at $1.07bn. Grant disbursements stood at $344.4m, representing 21.4 percent, while technical assistance contributed $187.2m, or 11.6 percent of the total.

Among multilateral development partners, the World Bank emerged as the largest contributor, disbursing $541m during the fiscal year. The Asian Development Bank was next with $443.2m. Other key multilateral contributors included the International Monetary Fund, which disbursed $41.8m, the European Union with $37.7m, and the Green Climate Fund contributing $15.8m. The United Nations system collectively mobilized $64.5m during the period.

Among bilateral partners, India topped the list with disbursements totaling $107.8m. The United Kingdom was next with disbursements of $84.2m, followed by the USAID at $67.1m, Japan with $58.3m, Switzerland at $30.1m, and Norway contributing $26.6m. Overall, multilateral partners accounted for the bulk of ODA disbursements, contributing $1.09bn, or 68.1 percent. Bilateral partners made up 27.9 percent percent with $448.4m, while the UN system contributed the remaining four percent.

According to the report, on-budget disbursements rose sharply by 23.5 percent to $1.36bn. This indicates improved alignment with national priorities and systems. Similarly, on-treasury disbursements surged by 63.3 percent to $847.5m. In contrast, off-budget support declined by 15.1 percent to $242m, suggesting a gradual move toward greater transparency and government ownership of development spending.

Despite the increase in absolute disbursement, ODA’s share in the national budget declined to 14.5 percent in 2024/25, down from 15 percent in the previous fiscal year. It marked the lowest level in a decade, according to the report. Sector-wise, the transport sector received the largest share of ODA, with disbursements totaling $252.8m, or 15.7 percent of the total. Next were economic affairs at $204.5m (12.7 percent), agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting at $188.5m (11.7 percent), education at $184m (11.5 percent), and public order and safety at $170.3m (10.6 percent).

The contribution from international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) also also increased during the review year. Although the number of reporting INGOs declined to 49, total disbursements increased to $90m, up from $63.1m in the previous fiscal year. The report underscores broader shifts in Nepal’s development finance landscape. While public development finance, including government revenue and foreign aid, has nearly doubled over the past decade—from $4.8bn in 2015 to around $9.1bn in 2024—private financial flows have grown even more rapidly.

Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) Vice Chairman Dol Prasad Aryal has filed his candidacy for the post of Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Aryal filed his nomination paper at 11 am in Singha Durbar-based Federal parliament Secretariat.

RSP Chairperson and lawmaker Rabi Lamichhane proposed the candidacy of Aryal while lawmakers Swarnim Wagle, Sobita Gautam and Sunil Lamsal seconded it. 

Candidates can file their nominations to the post of Speaker from 11 am to 2 pm today. 

Secretary-General of the Federal Parliament Secretariat, Padma Prasad Pandeya, shared that the names of candidates would be published at 2:30 pm in the order of registration of candidacies.  

A proposal seeking election of the Speaker might be presented in the meeting of the House of Representatives scheduled for April 5 for a decision.

The gold is being traded at Rs 294, 000 per tola in the domestic market on Friday. 

According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the silver is being traded at Rs 4, 830 per tola today.

Nepali migrant workers have sent a total of 1449.65 billion in remittances during the first eight months of the current fiscal year 2082/83 (mid-July 2025 to mid-March 2026). 

According to the central bank data, remittance inflow has surged by 37.7 percent during the reporting period. The growth was 9.5 percent in the same period last year. 

Remittance inflow was recorded at Rs 188.64 billion during last month (February 13 to March 14). In the same month of the previous year, the inflow was Rs 151.19 billion. 

The Nepal Rastra Bank's report stated that during the period, net secondary income (net transfers) increased to Rs 1591.66 billion, up from Rs 1149.30 billion in the previous year. 

During the review period, the number of Nepali obtaining a final labour permit (institutional and individual–new) for foreign employment was 273,536, and the number of those obtaining re-permit was 251,985.

 In the same period last year, these numbers were 317,068 and 217,403 respectively.