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A concessional loan agreement has been signed between the Government of Nepal and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for the implementation of the Digital Transformation Project. 

The agreement for a USD 40 million concessional loan was signed by Finance Secretary Dr Ghanashyam Upadhyay and ADB Country Director for Nepal Arnaud Cauchois during a ceremony held at the Ministry of Finance today. 

The project is the first in South Asia to be co-financed under the ADB-World Bank Mutual Reliance Framework, according to a press release issued by the Finance Ministry today. 

The project will strengthen the government's data hosting and cybersecurity infrastructure to enhance the security and resilience of the government digital system.

It will support key initiatives such as developing an integrated citizen service portal, improving the national social registry, establishing a secure government-wide data exchange platform for safe and efficient information sharing, and digitalizing about 11 high impact government services. 

The reforms supported by ADB and the World Bank will make key services easier to access, reduce waiting times and administrative barriers, and enhance transparency in government processes, helping build greater trust between citizens and public institutions.

The project will be implemented by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology. 

It aligns with Nepal’s Digital Nepal Framework 2.0, Sixteenth National Plan, e Governance Blueprint, and ADB’s country partnership strategy for Nepal, 2025–2029, which identifies digital transformation as a core crosscutting priority.

The World Bank will also provide USD 40 million as a concessional loan as the lead lender. 

The loan agreement has already been signed with the World Bank. 

The project's key programs include upgrading government digital platforms and shared services, strengthening cybersecurity preparedness, and developing institutional and human resource capacity to ensure the operation and sustainability of digital systems.

The air quality in the Kathmandu Valley, which started to deteriorate rapidly from last week, is once again showing signs of improvement.

The pollution, which had increased due to dry weather and forest fires, has gradually started to decrease with the onset of rain in recent days. 

Kathmandu's Air Quality Index (AQI), which was around 92 last Tuesday, had risen to 247 on Thursday. 

Experts had expressed concern that since the level falls into the 'very unhealthy' category, it would have serious effects on the general public's health.

Currently, pollution is decreasing, having dropped to 141 today, which falls in the 'unhealthy' category.

According to the AQI standards, an AQI of 0–50 is considered 'Good', of 51–100 'Moderate', of 101–150 'Unhealthy', of 151–200 'Unhealthy for all', of 201–300 'Very Unhealthy' and of above 300 'Extremely Dangerous'.

Director General of the Department of Environment, Gyanraj Subedi, stated that rain plays an important role in controlling air pollution.

He said, "When there is no rain for a long time, dust and smoke accumulate in the atmosphere, forest fires increase, and the smoke from them settles in the valley, leading to high pollution. 

Additionally, polluted air coming from the neighbouring country India also affects the air quality in Kathmandu."

Subedi emphasised that the concerned authorities should effectively implement sustainable and environmentally friendly development measures to control pollution.

According to Binu Maharjan, a meteorologist at the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, there is a good chance of rain from Wednesday. 

It is expected to help further reduce pollution by controlling dust and particles in the air.

Narayan Dutta Paudel has been appointed as the Inspector General of the Armed Police Force. 

A Cabinet meeting held on Monday decided to appoint Paudel as the Inspector General of the Armed Police Force. 

A person died in a wild boar attack at Lalbandi in Sarlahi on Sunday. 

The deceased has been identified as Prem Bahadur Thing (Dawa) (32) of Pidkhola, Lalbandi Municipality-15. 

Severely injured in the attack, Thing breathed his last on the way to a hospital in Lalbandi, according to District Police Office, Sarlahi spokesperson DSP Saroj Rai. 

The body has been taken to the Provincial Hospital Malangawa for postmortem. 

The animal attacked him while he was on his maize field. 

He had been staying at the farm since the past few days to protect the crops from animals.