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It’s been a whirlwind year since Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal assumed office on December 26, 2022. Against all odds, he's managed to steer the ship through turbulent political waters, but the real question is: has the journey been as smooth as he'd hoped?

Let’s face it, people did not have much expectation with the current dispensation. Both Dahal and his key coalition partner Nepali Congress’s President Sher Bahadur Deuba are tested politicians with poor track records. So expectations from this government were not exactly high. Before this government even kicked into gear, citizens were already frustrated with major parties playing power games without any regard for progress. 

Fast forward a year, and the time has come to dissect Dahal’s performance. Dahal, whose party polled third in the 2022 general elections, showcased his skills by keeping the coalition intact and maintaining a precarious grip on power. 

Dahal’s CPN (Maoist Center) had forged an electoral alliance with the Congress and other fringe parties with the intent of defeating the CPN-UML. Dahal and Deuba had agreed to form a rotational government after the election, where Dahal would lead the first half of the five-year term. 

But soon after the election results were out, Deuba refused to honor the deal, prompting Dahal to form a coalition government with the UML. The Maoist-UML partnership was short-lived though. While Dahal assumed the seat of the executive, it was the UML, the second largest party, that called most of the shots, much to the prime minister’s annoyance.  

The last straw came when the UML staked claim to the post of the president. So Dahal once again struck a deal with Deuba’s Nepali Congress to form a new government within months after the elections. And this time Deuba agreed to allow Dahal to lead the coalition government first as a returning favor for throwing the Maoist party’s weight behind Congress’s presidential candidate, Ram Chandra Paudel. Thus Dahal succeeded in reviving the pre-election coalition, and he has so far managed to keep it together. 

Soon after assuming the prime minister’s office, Prime Minister Dahal projected himself as a champion of republicanism, secularism, federalism, and inclusion. He promised to protect and promote these values enshrined in the 2015 constitution. 

But the prime minister found himself facing a challenge on all fronts. The constitution's key pillars came under attack, with voices against it growing louder. Secularism and federalism faced severe backlash, and provincial governments complained of being short-changed by the federal authority.

Then along came anti-republican rabble-rouser Durga Prasai, a businessman turned common enemy of all major political parties, who rallied thousands of people behind him to protest against the current political system. Additionally, the social harmony that Nepal once prided itself on was disrupted by clashes between religious and ethnic groups. 

People’s frustration with major political parties has reached an all-time high, and the popularity graph of leaders have hit rock bottom. The fear of a crumbling system is palpable, and parties are already fretting about the next election.

The next general election is four years away, and the major parties are already worried. They fear the rise of new political forces, particularly the Rastriya Swatantra Party, and independent candidates.

On the governance front, Dahal failed to inject hope and optimism. Corruption remained untamed, and service delivery showed no signs of improvement. Despite issuing directives to improve governance, Dahal found himself in a bind as his own directives gathered dust. Frequent transfers of officials, a desperate attempt to appease ministers, reflected a lack of learning from past mistakes.

Even within his party, discontent brewed. Dahal's close-knit circle irked party members, and the resignation of political advisor Haribol Gajurel spoke volumes about the government's internal struggles. In the midst of this, Dahal’s attempt to salvage the government's image through selective anti-corruption measures fell flat, failing to inspire hope among the people.

The government also failed to endorse the key bills from Parliament that aim to strengthen the federal and local governments. Dahal had promised to conclude the transitional justice process drawing the support of the international community, but failed on this agenda too.

While Prime Minister Dahal tried to improve the image of his government by opening an investigation into some big corruption scandals such as fake refugee scandals, the Lalita Niwas land grab, and smuggling of gold, it failed to sprout hope in the people because he adopted a selective approach and tried to protect his party leaders. 

The economic outlook under Dahal's leadership has been far from rosy. A surge in people seeking job opportunities abroad reflects a lack of confidence in the domestic job market. While some positive indicators exist, such as a decline in inflation and growing remittances, the overall economic landscape lacks the transformative touch promised by Dahal.

In the realm of foreign policy, Dahal played it safe. Steering clear of contentious issues with major powers, he focused on economic and developmental agendas. An appeasement policy was adopted to safeguard the fragile coalition, especially with India, which wields significant influence over Nepal's internal politics. Dahal has also somewhat succeeded in convincing China regarding his compulsion of maintaining close ties with New Delhi and Washington.

As Dahal contemplates changing ministers to shake things up, the real question remains: can a mere reshuffling bring about the change Nepal needs? Self-reflection seems to be in short supply as Dahal, instead of addressing concerns, dismisses critics as regressive forces.

First, Dahal himself should mend his ways. Over the past year, Dahal spent most of his precious time participating in insignificant events, such as a book launch and building inauguration. He invested very little or no time to diagnose where the problem lies and how it can be resolved. He rarely visited any government offices to inspect the service delivery.

One year into the job, Dahal appears more focused on securing the next year in power than leaving a lasting impact. The clock is ticking, and the country watches with bated breath to see if Dahal can transform challenges into triumphs in the years ahead.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal is scheduled to address the nation at 3 pm tomorrow.

He will be addressing the nation from his Singha Durbar-based office on the occasion of the completion of one year in the office.

Dahal was appointed the Prime Minister of Nepal on December 25, 2022.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has directed the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation to move ahead the process of purchasing aircraft in a transparent manner, leaving no room for any error and dispute.

He gave this directive in the joint briefing and discussions program of the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation and the Ministry of Water Supply held at the Singha Durbar today.

"Questions are always raised in aircraft purchase deals in Nepal. Let there be no such errors this time. The aircraft purchase process should be cent percent correct, error-free and transparent. There should be no mistakes and questions like in the past in the procurement process this time," he reiterated.

The PM also spoke on the need of changing several of our tourism-related policies and regulations as they are not tourist-friendly. "Let us all think about creating a conducive environment for the tourists. You bring the proposals and let us attract tourists by opening up the prohibited areas. Night time services should also be opened in the tourist areas and the government should be flexible in this too," he said.

Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Sudan Kirati said the airports constructed on the basis of 'political pressure' were not operating in an effective way, stressing on the need of constructing airports only on the need-basis in the coming days.

He said that the solution should be sought for the areas prohibited for tourists and suggested making diplomatic initiation for operating the Bhairahawa and Pokhara international airports in their full capacity.

On the occasion, PM Dahal instructed the bodies concerned to immediately resolve the problem of the consumers having to pay water tariff even for taps which are dry. He directed for writing off the water tariff of consumers not getting water supply.

He also called for further expediting works on the Melamchi Water Supply Project while expressing happiness over the works currently being carried out in two shifts as per the 28-day integrated action plan for bringing 170 million liters of water daily from Melamchi to Sundarijal of Kathmandu within a month.

The PM also urged the bodies concerned to look for other sources of water to supply water in the Kathmandu Valley which has a daily demand of 250 million liters of water.

Water Supply Minister Mahendra Raya Yadav, Minister Kirati, Minister of State for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Sushila Shreepali, Chief Secretary Dr Baikuntha Aryal, Water Supply Ministry secretary Suresh Acharya, Culture Secretary Deepak Kafle, Finance Secretary Krishna Hari Pushkar, among others put their views on topics related to works and responsibilities of their respective ministries.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has held consultations with the top leaders of major parties on finalization of the transitional justice issues.

Nepali Congress president Sher Bahadur Deuba, CPN-UML Chair KP Sharma Oli and Nepali Congress Chief Whip Ramesh Lekhak were present in the discussions held at the Prime Minister's official residence at Baluwatar today. 

On the occasion, the leaders talked on various topics including finalizing the remaining tasks of the peace process in relation to transitional justice, said Manohari Timilsina, the media expert to the Prime Minister. The meeting will be held on Monday as well, Timilsina added.

The bill for amending the Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons (CIEDP) and the Truth and Reconciliation (TRC) Act, 2071 is still under consideration in the Federal Parliament.

Preparation has been made to pass this bill in the coming session of the Federal Parliament forging consensus at the highest political level.

The government is in preparation to summon the winter session of the Federal Parliament.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has inaugurated Inaruwa substation today. Inaruwa substation is considered one of the important projects for strengthening power transmission and distribution systems.

Constructed at Bhokraha Narsingh Rural Municipality-4 of Sunsari district, the 400-Kv substation is one of the largest substations constructed in the country.

The country's second largest substation based on Gas Insulated System (GIS) was charged in the second week of October. 

Minister for Water Resources and Irrigation, Shakti Bahadur Basnet, former minister Gyanendra Bahadur Karki, high-officials of Energy Ministry, Executive Director of the Nepal Electricity Authority, Kul Man Ghising, among others were present in the inauguration ceremony.

The next substation of 220/132/33 kV has already come into operation in Inaruwa. There are three power transformers of 315-MVA in 400/220 kV Inaruwa substation constructed under 400-kVHetauda-Dhalkebar-Inaruwa substation expansion project. Around 4,000 MW electricity would be transmitted from Inaruwa substation after the completion of 400 kV Inaruwa- Dhalkebar transmission line.

NEA Executive Director Ghising said Inaruwa substation is the backbone for transmitting electricity produced from hydropower projects at different districts of Koshi Province, for consumption of power locally and to export surplus electricity to India.

Executive Director Ghising said, "Electricity will be supplied locally in addition to the electricity flow from the substation to the national transmission grid. This will improve the voltage in that area thereby ensuring reliable supply of electricity."

Ghising further said that the Inaruwa-Purnia 400 KV cross-country transmission line has been proposed for power trade with India and Inaruwa-Anarmani 400 KV transmission line has been proposed for trade among Nepal-India and Bangladesh from this sub-station.

The Inaruwa sub-station, according to him, has become another huge electricity center to supply electricity from east to west within the country and export to India besides regional power trade.

Moreover, the substation would be significant to supply additional electricity to the industries within the Morang-Sunsari Industrial Corridor. The electricity generated from Arun and Tamor Rivers and their tributaries would be linked to the Inaruwa Sub-Station through Koshi Corridor 220 KC transmission line.

It may be noted that there has been a proposal to construct the Arun 'Hub' Inaruwa 400 KV transmission line.

The Authority said that the Inaruwa Sub-Station has been built in such a way that it can be expanded in future.

Various factors such as inundation, COVID-19 pandemic and prohibitory order and lack of timely availability of tools and technicians among others had adversely affected the substation construction process.

Sri Lankan Ambassador to Nepal Air Chief Marshal Sudarshana Pathirana paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Tuesday.

During the meeting held at the Prime Minister's office in Singha Durbar, several matters related to Nepal and Sri Lanka were discussed, said the PM's secretariat.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal held a meeting with President Ram Chandra Paudel on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Dahal had reached Sheetal Niwas this morning to meet President Paudel.

During the meeting, they discussed the contemporary political situation of the country, the President’s Secretariat said.

President Paudel has continuously been showing interest in the works of the government.

On the occasion, President Paudel also showed concern about the National Assembly election.

The tenure of the 20 National Assembly members including a female member nominated by the President is expiring soon.

There is a provision to nominate one female member at the recommendation of the Cabinet.

The government has fixed January 25 as the date of the election for 19 seats.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Monday made a virtual inspection of Narayanghat-Butwal road section and Muglin-Pokhara road section from the 'Action Room' located at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers in Singhadurbar.

The two road projects are under-construction but the progress in the construction of both the projects is slow.

During the virtual inspection from the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers this afternoon, the PM took stock of the recent progress made in the road construction and said that progress is not satisfactory as expected. "This is not fulfilling. Our quality role should be upped to this area," the PM added.

On the occasion, PM Dahal made a commitment to address the issues arising from short supply of pebbles, sand and stone, and electricity needed for the project’s advancement.   

Likewise, the PM asked the field officials and agencies to submit their reports on a regular and timely basis stating that the challenges could be troubleshooted if the reports were received in time so that the people's woes could be resolved. 

Now, the progress of the projects should be measured on the basis of milestone indicators, he added.

The PM also directed the officials and agencies to complete the projects on time and warned that there will be no excuse in the delay of the projects under different pretexts.

"These two projects are highly important and the construction should be completed in time. I will also come to the field to inspect the projects. Now I will give more time for the development works," according to the PM.

"Tasks of the national pride projects should be carried out in two shifts. Let's do serious homework for this. This is the last opportunity to work," the PM appealed to utilize the opportunity for development.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal  today said the Buddhist philosophy would remain alive until human existence.

Wishing for world peace, which he said is required, today at a programme organised at the Ramagrama Stupa in West Nawalparasi district, the PM said we achieved the feat of spreading the message of peace across the globe.

Lord Gautam Buddha's teaching is confirmed as more necessary and relevant in the present time, he mentioned. The Prime Minister also pledged to implement the master plan for the development of the stupa while saying that far sighting work would be carried out for its restoration, conservation and development.

Stating that the programme would spread the message of global peace, he mentioned that the United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres and himself pledged for world peace. 

"This programme is expected to not only spread a new message in the globe, but will also help play an important role in the religious, cultural and touristic development of the Ramagrama Stupa and the entire Lumbini area", underscored PM Dahal.

Saying that the international community has been appealed for the conservation and development of the Buddha-era heritages, he expressed his commitment to play an important role in the development of the Buddha-time heritages. He said that he is inspired by the philosophy, thoughts and teachings of Buddha.

Similarly, Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Sudan Kirati informed that the government had carried forward a comprehensive plan for the development of Tilaurakot, Lumbini and Ramagrama Stupa.

"Although Nepal is multi-lingual and multi-ethnic, people of all religions and communities follow the Buddhist philosophy; this is religious tolerance, this is a message of unity," stressed the Prime Minister.

The event was attended by representatives of various foreign countries and Buddhist followers from various countries.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has claimed that nearly 200 Nepalis, who had gone to Russia on student and tourist visas, have joined the Russian army to earn money.

Addressing the office-bearers meeting of the Press Center in the Capital on Monday, the Prime Minister said that he got the information that 200 Nepalis have joined the Russian army.

He further said that some Nepalis serving in the Russian army are under the control of Kyiv’s forces.

Prime Minister Dahal went on to say that he has even got the information that some Nepalis have also joined the Ukrainian army and the government is studying about the same.

Six Nepalis serving in the Russian army had died during the Russian-Ukraine war.

The government has already sent a letter to the Russian government to hand over the bodies to the Nepal government.

The government has also urged the Russian government not to recruit its citizens into the Russian army.

Meanwhile, police have arrested 12 persons for their alleged involvement in sending people to Russia illegally.

Prime Minister and CPN (Maoist Center) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal has said that conspiracies were being hatched to mislead the people by spreading disinformation in various ways.

Addressing the third plenary meeting of office-bearers of Press Center Nepal today, he said the media has a key responsibility to stop the propaganda and provide true information to the people.

The PM alleged that elements that do not like the federal democratic republic have been spreading fake, unfounded and misleading propaganda against the government and its leadership in recent times, urging the media to counter this by giving true and factual information.

Stating that the Prime Minister has been carrying out works in favor of the nation, people, constitution and democracy with determination, PM Dahal said the powers that are growing nervous from the pro-people works initiated by the government were unnecessarily spreading misinformation.

Prime Minister Dahal said that he came to know about the sale of shares of Ncell, the private sector telecommunication service provider, in course of the UN Climate Summit, COP 28, organized in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and had immediately directed the bodies concerned to carry out an investigation in that connection.

"I heard of the transaction of Ncell's shares when I was in the UAE. I cautiously conducted a probe into this. On the next day after I returned back to the country, I instructed the officials, including the Chief Secretary, to carry out a study on what impact it (the sale of Ncell's shares) will have on Nepal's tax system, on foreign investment and on the provision of the Government of Nepal taking ownership of the company after some years," he said.

He said that he also held discussions within the ruling coalition on this topic considering the sensitivity and seriousness of the transaction of Ncell's shares which seemed unusual. "I put forth a proposal during the discussions that there is fault in the buy-and-sell of the shares and it should be investigated, the truth found out and we should move ahead with determination for the interest of the nation, people and the country's economy," he added.

According to him, all parties in the ruling coalition agreed in the discussion that the government should investigate the sale of shares.

On a different note, PM Dahal asserted that the present ruling coalition will last for its full term and also reiterated his commitment to move forward with a new strategy for the upcoming year, making an assessment of the current one year.

Maoist Center Vice-Chairman and spokesperson Agni Prasad Sapkota, Press Center leader Maheshwor Dahal, PM's press advisor Govinda Acharya, among other leaders, attended the meeting.

Centre for Social Inclusion and Federalism (CESIF) organized a round table discussion on Nepal-India bilateral relations, focusing on the Prime Minister’s visit to India from May 30 to June 3, 2023. The discourse brought together distinguished parliamentarians, experts, journalists, former bureaucrats and diplomats.

Raj Kishor Yadav, chairperson of the International Relations and Tourism Committee at the House of Representative, was the chief guest speaker of the discussion.

Similarly, former Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation and lawmakers Barsha Man Pun, Udaya Shumsher Rana and Sunita Baral were the prominent speakers of the event.

The Prime Minister’s official visit to India last May/June further strengthened Nepal-India close ties in many fronts, including power trade, cross-border infrastructures, among others.

The visit was noted by many as a fruitful development to the existing relations; however, the burden now falls upon the implementation of the deals and agreements signed. The discussion was aimed at critically analyzing the visit and reviewing the implementations of the deals and agreements reached, reads a statement issued by Centre for Social Inclusion & Federalism.

The dialogue was moderated by the Executive Chair of CESIF, Ambassador Vijay Kant Karna.

In his opening remarks, he reflected that the visit showed an increased political trust as evidenced by PM Modi’s pledge on border issues to be resolved through dialogues. “Nonetheless, controversial issues like border disputes demand considerable preparation and consensus from both sides,” Ambassador Karna analyzed.

The dialogue brought together diverse views from the parliamentarians and participants, according to the statement.

Lawmaker Baral expressed satisfaction regarding economic perks that were achieved during the PM’s visit to India.

Likewise, lawmaker Pun agreed on the fact that slowly and gradually, an environment of trust is being witnessed which has obvious economic perks.

Similarly, lawmaker Rana emphasized on compartmentalizing structural and economic issues while dealing with India. “Issues like border disputes require a long-term solution, and the present concentration should be on economic aspects,” he reflected.

Chief Guest Yadav concluded that it is important for Nepal to also learn of India’s concerns in order to effectively navigate diplomatic hurdles. “Nepal and India’s issues are interconnected, and thus we need to carefully tread the path,” he shared.

During the program, all the participants expressed that there is a trust deficit between Nepal and India, and that there has to be diversification and decentralization of diplomacy, the statement further reads.

Regarding the PM’s visit to India, while some remarked it to be successful, some also expressed dissatisfaction.

The crux lies in the implementation of the deals and agreements signed, which is yet to be seen.

However, it would be unfair to anticipate a radical breakthrough, in this visit, on longstanding contentious issues that have plagued Nepal-India relations for decades. This isn’t to claim that there was no room for further negotiations and deals but owing to the limitations, only so much could have been achieved.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has announced different programs aimed at revitalizing the economy. The programs encompass a range of actions, from aiding individuals struggling to repay loans taken from banks and financial institutions to revising bank rates in order to lower interest rates.

Dahal believes that these initiatives will instill hope among the masses by introducing reforms in the country, given that the economy is still facing pressure despite positive indicators in various sectors.

These key measures to bolster the economy were announced during a four-hour discussion about the current state of the economy and future strategies with ministers, secretaries, the governor of Nepal Rastra Bank, private sector leaders, members of parliament and economists, and others on Tuesday.

“When I assumed leadership of the government, the economy was facing serious crises. Over the last 10 months, the government has taken various initiatives which have turned economic indicators positive,” Dahal said. “However, the economy still faces challenges. Therefore, the government’s primary focus is on further enhancing the economy and fostering optimism among the people.”

The government has said that the central bank will facilitate the repayment of loans for individuals who used the funds for their intended purposes but are struggling due to an economic slowdown. Likewise, although interest rates are coming down, the government has directed the central bank to study whether the rates can be reduced further. The central bank has also been tasked with studying problems faced by individuals in repaying loans taken from microfinance institutions.

Moreover, the government has announced plans to form a dedicated agency to regulate cooperatives and create a fund to safeguard deposits in saving and credit cooperatives.

The government has also said that it is committed to enhancing the revenue structure to make it more conducive to investment and production in line with recommendations made by past studies and commissions.

Additionally, the government has said that it would expedite mega hydropower projects such as Budhgandaki, Karnali Chisapani, and Upper Arun. It has also pledged to implement recommendations made by a team of experts for the construction of Nijgadh International Airport in Bara.

Moreover, the government has expressed commitment to address challenges in the implementation of the decision to extend construction deadlines for various development projects made in the first week of June.

Furthermore, the government has said that it will initiate the process of settling outstanding dues with contractors and form a high-level commission to address overall governance issues.

Similarly, it has decided to make the the Industry and Commerce Promotion Dialogue Council, which serves as a forum for private sector and government dialogue, more active.

The west face of the main building of Singha Durbar which was damaged by the 2015 earthquake has been rebuilt.

With the completion of the rebuilding works, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has officially moved to his new office. The inauguration ceremony took place today.

On the occasion, the Prime Minister said the relocation symbolized not just a change in location, but also his resolution to move ahead innovatively.

The 120-year-old structure was reconstructed while preserving its original architecture.

"We have transitioned from backward to forwards. In the previous office setup, I often felt a bit congested and would not feel much refreshed," he said, adding that he found the new office chamber more spacious and refreshing and hoped that its atmosphere and surroundings will help him think more innovatively.

He also thanked the Urban Development Ministry and the team involved in the rebuilding process.

According to Urban Development Minister Sita Gurung, who was present on the occasion, now the project to retrofit the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers has been completed. The project costs Rs 4.2 million.

President Ram Chandra Paudel and Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal held a meeting on Wednesday.

In the meeting held at the Office of the President, Sheetal Niwas, in Kathmandu, President Paudel drew the attention of the government towards expediting the relief distribution operation for the quake-affected ones in the Karnali Province, according to Kiran Pokharel, Press Advisor to the President.

On the occasion, they also discussed contemporary issues, added Press Advisor Pokharel.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal warned that if we could not stop global rise in temperature, there could be a serious and adverse impact on the prospects of climate resilient development in developing countries like Nepal.

Addressing the national conference on climate change here today, PM Dahal warned that there could be a rise in the cases of climate change-induced disasters, food security crisis and scarcity of potable water.

The national conference is organized to form a common viewpoint on the position paper to be prepared by Nepal and presented in the upcoming global climate change conference.

The conference was organized by the Ministry of Forests and Environment.

A team led by PM Dahal is leaving here for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to participate in the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP-28) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) scheduled to run from November 30 to December 12 in Dubai, UAE.

During the COP28, Nepal will eloquently lobby the rich and developed countries of the world to fulfill their commitments to limit the increase in global temperature, pledged PM Dahal.

"Nepal would also put forth its claim on climate action as well as speedy and full implementation of the agreement to provide climate financing as grant for climate adaptation and resilience," he assured.

Stating that Nepal was highly vulnerable to climate change impacts, PM Dahal said, "We are facing multifaceted challenges induced by changing climate. The time table, nature and quantity of monsoon rain are massively changing, the temperature of the atmosphere is rising and natural disasters are increasing among others."

The Head of the Government further shed light on the climate change related challenges facing Nepal as saying, "The glaciers are melting and exploding, landslides and dry droughts are increasing in hilly areas and incidents of flood are rampant in Terai region. Due to global warming, two-thirds of the glaciers of the mountains in our region are melting."

Scientists, in a study Hindukush Himalaya Assessment, have warned that the two-third of Himalaya glaciers, the world's Third Pole, could melt by 2100 if global emission are not reduced or controlled timely.

PM Dahal stated that impoverished families, small time farmers, marginalized ethnic communities, women, children, elderly people and physically-challenged ones were most vulnerable to the climate change.

He further asserted that climate change had massively impacted thematic areas such as agriculture, hydro resources and tourism as well as food security, health, water supply, means of livelihood and security sectors that contribute to the national economy.

According to him, due to the decline in the socio-economic sector, increasing health and food security problems, there was a likelihood of an increase in the climate crisis and risks in future.

Nepal, in its capacity as a state party to the UNFCCC, is participating in the dialogue process of the states parties.

The PM said that dialogue is continuously taking place with the international community on challenges of climate change and opportunities via various forums, stating that COP-28 is approaching as both a challenge and an important opportunity to make this dialogue richer and result-oriented.

The Prime Minister also stated that Nepal has made arrangements for and formulated and implemented programs related to the appropriate policy, legal and institutional and financial provisions for promoting climate resilience as per the provisions of UNFCCC.

PM Dahal said the National Climate Change Policy 2076, the Environment Conservation Act 2076 and Regulations 2077, the National Framework on Local Adaptation Plan of Action 2076, the Climate Resilience Plan and Budget Formulation Directive 2077 and the Climate Change Related Gender and Social Inclusion Strategy and Action Plan 2077/2078 have been formulated and implemented.

"The National Adaptation Plan 2021-2050 and the Nationally Determined Contribution in line with the Paris Agreement will make us further stronger. The leadership of the federal, provincial and local levels and the support and collaboration of development partners and stakeholder agencies are needed for implementing the national policy, plans and programs on climate change adaptation and mitigation that we have prepared to fight the climate change effects and impact," he asserted.

The PM also called on the national and international organizations to focus their cooperation towards the programs contained in the National Adaptation Plan and the Nationally Determined Contribution Implementation Plan that have been prepared by including our needs and priorities.

He mentioned that Nepal called attention of the world community through the 78th UNGA held this year to provide the climate financing as climate justice to Nepal and the LDCs.

PM Dahal said that in his upcoming address at COP28, he plans to address significant issues such as climate finance, adaptation, transfer of mountaineering technology and capacity building, loss and damage, and climate empowerment. These issues, crucial to Nepal's sustainable development and environmental preservation, deserve attention and action on the global stage.

"The recent visit of UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres to the Khumbu region serves as a poignant reminder of the urgent need to address climate change issues faced by Nepal. Guterres's inspection of the impacts of climate change and interactions with local communities contribute significantly to globalizing the problems faced by this region. It amplifies Nepal's call for recognition and support in the international community's efforts to combat climate change," he added.

Prime Minister Dahal also reflected on his address at the 76th United Nations General Assembly in New York, where he highlighted the profound impacts of climate change in Nepal. This reiteration underscores the government's dedication to addressing climate-related challenges and implementing initiatives for the development of tourism infrastructure in vulnerable regions such as Khumbu.

"There is a need for changing the structural system to incorporate the financial grants provided for the promotion of adaptability, upliftment and loss and damage concept in the government budgetary system in a line with the national interests of Nepal, but not in the interests of superpower nations and donors," said the PM. Such grants Nepal receives as climate justice have not been mobilized in the national interests as they are directly gone to the hands of social organizations, and individuals, which they spend as per their own interests, being excluded from the government's regulatory system, he said.

Initiatives would be taken in receiving such grants directly to the state fund by stopping the practice of distributing and spending them randomly, he said.

Stressing the need for drawing the global attention to identify and address problems of Himalayan nations, the PM clarified that Nepal would strategically raise the problems facing the Himalayan nations with the same problems, and take a leadership to make a strategy for cooperation.

Strong pressure would be created through cooperation among the countries with the same climate problems for the world's major carbon emitters to immediately reduce emissions, to remind the developed countries to provide climate finance, increase financial grants and address loss and damage, he said.

Maintaining that Nepal needs USD 21 billion for the implementation of adaptation priorities by 2030, he emphasized the need for Nepal to lay the claim in a factual manner for the country's easy access to the established adaptation fund.

Least developed countries like Nepal should strongly advocate to simplify the application process for their access to the green climate fund and other funds, remove capacity barriers and improve direct access to the climate fund, said the PM.

"There is a challenge to bring in benefits from the international climate finance mechanism. On the other hand, there is a need to focus on invest in concrete programs and activities while effectively mobilizing climate finance within the country and reaching out to the affected areas and communities."