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Rainfall is likely to occur in different parts of the country, including Kathmandu Valley today due to the influence of the western low-pressure system and the low-pressure system around Bihar state.

Meteorologist at the Weather Forecasting Division of the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, Chiranjibi Bhetwal said the weather is partly cloudy throughout the country, including the Kathmandu Valley.

Rain is likely to occur in Koshi, Madhes, Bagmati and Gandaki Provinces this afternoon. There is a possibility of rain in Kathmandu after noon.

Some places in Koshi Province are currently receiving sporadic rainfall. According to the Division, the influence of the western low-pressure system will remain active till Friday and it will have an impact in most parts of the country.

Light to moderate rain is likely to occur at a few places of Koshi, Madhes and Bagmati Provinces. Light snowfall is likely to occur at one or two places of the high hilly and mountainous regions of Koshi, Bagmati and Gandaki provinces.

The Forecasting Division said there is a possibility of scattered rain accompanied by thunder and lightning at some places of the hilly regions of Koshi, Bagmati and Gandaki Provinces tonight.

The National Examinations Board (NEB) has completed all preparations for the Secondary Education Examinations (SEE).

Two thousand and fifty-seven exam centers have been determined throughout the country for this year's SEE, said Dr Mahashram Sharma, the NEB Chair.

An examination center has been set up in Japan this year also. The SEE will be conducted from March 28 to April 9.

According to him, around 500, 000 students will be appearing in the SEE across the country this year. The NEB has already printed 500, 000 sets of question papers for the examination.

Although 504, 414 students filled up the form for SEE, this number might decrease, it is said.

The NEB has already dispatched the question papers to the District Police Office of all 76 districts throughout the country.

The question papers will be sent to the examination centers a day before the exams.

The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Nepal has launched the Insurance and Risk Finance Initiative for Nepal.

It is part of UNDP's global initiative, the Insurance and Risk Finance Facility (IRFF), which is being implemented in over thirty countries. This initiative seeks to prioritize financial resilience by tapping into the benefits of insurance and risk financing mechanisms, the UNDP Nepal stated in a press release.

During the launching event held on March19, the Country Diagnostic Report was unveiled by Dr Ram Prasad Ghimire, Revenue Secretary of the Ministry of Finance (MoF), Anil Pokhrel, Chief Executive Officer of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), and UNDP's Resident Representative, Ms. Ayshanie Medagangoda-Labé.

The Report states that Nepal's disaster landscape is impacted by earthquakes, floods, landslides, and droughts, which collectively have caused almost USD 7 billion in damages from 1980 to 2020. These disasters have affected the country's capacity to build financial resilience in the face of looming disasters.

The Government of Nepal has spent Rs 50 billion (0.4 billion USD) between 2012 and 2020 in disaster response and recovery. The expenditure data indicates that this is not financially sustainable in the long run, which demands the development of risk transfer solutions.

The diagnostic highlighted that Nepal is one of the top 10 countries most affected by climate change and is highly vulnerable to floods, landslides, earthquakes, and droughts. The report also showcases that the Government of Nepal is committed to fostering the insurance industry's ability to provide accessible and affordable insurance products, as evidenced by recent legal updates such as the Insurance Act 2079, which contains several microinsurance provisions.

While credit-life microinsurance and agriculture insurance offer financial protection to low-income and vulnerable Nepali households, the overall inclusive insurance market is still lagging due to low awareness about insurance and data gaps that prevent insurance companies from offering products that meet the needs of customers.

Dr Ram Prasad Ghimire, Revenue Secretary at MoF, reiterated the government's commitment to delivering risk finance solutions, mentioning that the government has already initiated the development of a Risk Management Framework.

Anil Pokharel, CEO of NDRRMA, highlighted the importance of collaboration between the government, development partners, and the private sector to address increasingly frequent and complex climate and disaster risks.

Meanwhile, Ayshanie Medagangoda-Labé, UNDP Resident Representative, stated, "Insurance and risk financing are among the solutions that can contribute to strengthening a comprehensive risk management approach for any country and community. We need to tap into the insurance market opportunities, leaving no one behind."

The Initiative will work closely with government partners such as the Ministry of Finance, Nepal Insurance Authority and National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority to improve the legal and regulatory environment for insurance to be better incorporated in risk management priorities and actions.

It will also work with the insurance industry to identify the financial protection, needs of vulnerable groups such as women, farmers and businesses and facilitate the offer of customer-centric insurance products. UNDP will work more broadly with other development actors also pushing for financial resilience to further advocate and make the case for insurance as a key ingredient in managing shocks and fast-tracking recovery.

The Ridi-Tamghas road section along the Madan Bhandari Highway is to remain closed for three weeks beginning today due to the road widening works.

The Highway Project Office issued a public notice urging everyone to use alternative routes during this period.

According to Office information officer, Er Sharmila Sharma, the road widening requires blasting of cliffs, widening, and grading procedures. As a result, the regular route is to be closed from 10 am to 4 pm and 10 pm to 4 am for the next three weeks.

A meeting chaired by Chief District Officer Krishna Prasad Sharma decided to close the 25-kilometre route earlier.

The Office suggests the following alternative routes: Panityanki-Thorga-Syalpokhari-Salbisauni-Ratamate route, Pipalneta-Digam-Ridi route, Lumchha-Dharampani-Digam-Ridi route, and Ghumti-Charpala-Khajryang-Ridi route for transportation during this period.