KATHMANDU: Nepal News presents today’s snapshot of Nepal’s economic activities. Get quick updates on major market movements, policy shifts, and financial developments shaping the economy of Nepal. Here are the key economic highlights for today:

National Assembly Approves Debt Bill to Manage Rs 3 Trillion Liability

The National Assembly officially approved the National Debt Mobilization Bill, 2026, by a majority vote on Thursday following a structural legislative review. Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle presented the fiscal framework to clear repayment paths for outstanding state liabilities, which currently total approximately Rs 3 trillion following pandemic economic shocks. Parliamentary members urged the Public Debt Management Office to ensure transparent resource allocation pipelines directly benefiting agriculture and energy generation hubs, rather than viewing simple debt generation as an administrative milestone before returning the final file to the lower house.

NRB Coordinates 12-Hour Weekend RTGS Operational Cycles

The Nepal Rastra Bank Payment Systems Department issued an urgent public notification on Thursday to facilitate smooth clearance of late fiscal year transactions. The supervisory agency will maintain continuous operations for the Real Time Gross Settlement system on the upcoming weekend holidays of July 11 and July 12. Domestic banking networks can access the electronic settlement network from 8:00 AM until 8:00 PM daily. The 12-hour temporary schedule targets closing transaction logjams and stabilizing liquidity flows across local commercial banks prior to closing the accounting year.

NEPSE Falls 19.67 Points, Turnover Slips to Rs 4.61 Billion

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) declined by 19.67 points (0.75 percent) on Thursday, closing at 2,601.92, marking its third loss in four trading sessions this week. The Sensitive Index fell 2.49 points to 454.19, while turnover eased to Rs 4.611 billion from Rs 4.826 billion on Wednesday. A total of 8,751,380 shares of 361 companies were traded through 57,864 transactions. Only 42 companies gained, while 229 declined and six remained unchanged, with all 13 sectoral indices ending lower. Upakar Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha gained the highest at 12.68 percent, while BOK Debenture lost 8.66 percent. GBIME Debenture recorded the highest turnover at Rs 355.8 million, while Asian Life Insurance led by trading volume with 498,960 shares.

Executive Structural Changes to Yield Rs 20 Billion Annual Savings

The House of Representatives reviewed a central governance report highlighting structural achievements during the administration’s first 100 days in office on Thursday. Government Spokesperson and Minister for Education and Sports Sasmit Pokharel reported that the executive cabinet downsized federal ministries from 22 to 18 and capped the inner council at 17 members, generating Rs 20 billion in projected annual administrative savings. Concurrently, an anti-corruption task force launched a major asset probe, processing over 11,000 illegal wealth disclosures and formal civilian complaints against high-ranking political functionaries to enforce zero-tolerance policy frameworks.

Daily Capital Expenditure Exceeds Rs 1.27 Billion Amid Year-End Spree

Nepal’s traditional trend of hasty year-end spending has repeated itself in the final month of the fiscal year. Data from the Financial Comptroller General Office (FCGO) reveals that between June 15 and July 8, the government’s daily capital expenditure spiked to Rs 1.27 billion. In comparison, the average daily capital spending for the rest of the fiscal year up to July 8 was significantly lower at roughly Rs 457 million. During this 24-day window alone, capital spending surged by Rs 30.50 billion, pushing the total capital expenditure to Rs 163.17 billion. Overall government spending also saw a massive acceleration, climbing by Rs 185.31 billion to reach a total of Rs 1.531 trillion by July 8. On the revenue side, the government’s total income grew by Rs 81.04 billion during the same 24-day period, rising from Rs 1.110 trillion on June 14 to Rs 1.191 trillion by July 8. By this date, the state had achieved 79.33 percent of its annual tax revenue target and secured 51.73 percent of its foreign grant assistance goal.

PM Shah Discusses Construction Sector Challenges with Contractors

Prime Minister Balendra Shah (Balen) on Thursday held discussions with representatives of the Federation of Contractors’ Association of Nepal (FCAN) on challenges facing the construction sector and measures to promote infrastructure development. During the meeting at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, Shah said the construction sector is vital for economic growth, employment, and infrastructure development, adding that the government is committed to addressing its practical challenges. He stressed the need for greater cooperation to ensure timely project completion and make the sector more transparent, accountable, and results-oriented. Led by FCAN President Nicholas Pandey, raised concerns over payment delays, contract management, deadline extensions, price adjustments, timely project implementation, and banking and investment issues.

Single-Day Payments Surge to Rs 17 Billion Ahead of Deadline

The Financial Comptroller General Office reported that single-day government payments surged to Rs 17.09 billion on Wednesday as agencies rushed to settle accounts before the legal check-clearing deadline. Cumulative budget spending reached Rs 1.531 trillion out of a total Rs 1.964 trillion annual outlay. However, capital expenditure lagged significantly, hitting just 40 percent of its target at Rs 163.17 billion against a Rs 407 billion goal. National revenue collections reached Rs 1.156 billion, or 78.15 percent of the targeted yearly sum.

SUTRA Tracking Systems Schedule Structural Shutdown Tonight

The Financial Comptroller General Office announced that the Sub-national Treasury Regulatory Application (SUTRA) digital platform utilized for tracking local government transaction fields will systematically shut down at midnight today. The Deputy Financial Comptroller General stated that the suspension follows Rule 30(1) of the Economic Procedures and Financial Accountability Rules, 2021, requiring all fiscal accounts to halt final disbursements 7 days prior to the close of the fiscal year. Under Rule 30(7), the platform will briefly reopen through July 16 solely for internal balance adjustments and specific tax settlements.

261K Drivers to Face Service Restrictions Over Unpaid Traffic Fines

More than 261,000 drivers who have not paid their traffic fines will be barred from receiving services from the Transport Management Office until they clear their outstanding dues, according to the Kathmandu Valley Traffic Police Office. The restrictions apply to services including vehicle registration, vehicle ownership transfer, driving license renewal, and other transport-related transactions. The traffic police have already forwarded the details of drivers with unpaid fines to the transport office, and the restrictions will remain in effect until the fines are fully deposited into the state treasury. The Transport Management Office has also begun sending SMS notifications to drivers with outstanding fines before providing any new service.

Kathmandu Valley Traffic Police Collects Rs 1.8 Million in 24 Hours

The Kathmandu Valley Traffic Police Office registered enforcement actions against 2,066 motorists for distinct highway safety violations during a 24-hour tracking window ending on Thursday. The administrative fines added more than Rs 1.8 million directly into the national treasury. Official safety logs show citations issued to 142 lane-discipline violators, 122 illegal ride-sharing operators, 120 traffic light line-crossers, 114 speeding vehicles, 103 sidewalk parking units, and 65 driving-under-the-influence violations. An additional 1,237 general moving offenses were processed across the regional transit grid to enforce driving laws.

Budget Crunch Halts Lamjung Prison Reconstruction

The Lamjung District Prison located in Seraphat, Besisahar Municipality, has been closed after reconstruction work stalled due to a lack of budget, forcing the transfer of 109 inmates to other correctional facilities. Acting Prison Chief Prisa Gautam said a reconstruction proposal estimated at Rs 177.4 million has been submitted by the Building Development and Construction Office, Kaski, to the concerned authority. Chief District Officer Krishna Prasad Khanal said the prison building, constructed in the fiscal year 1971/72, is too dilapidated to be repaired and cannot be operated safely. He added that relocating inmates outside the district has increased the time, manpower, and costs required for court appearances, family visits, and other administrative work.

Rs 277 Million Bridge Project to Replace 1971 Ramdi Crossing

A Rs 277.1 million bridge project is transforming connectivity at Ramdi, linking Gandaki and Lumbini provinces OF THE COUNTRY. The new steel tube arch bridge is being built to replace the aging steel truss bridge, which has served the area since 1971 and has deteriorated after more than five decades of use. Once completed, the structure will become Nepal’s first concrete-filled steel tube arch bridge, marking a significant engineering milestone. The project is expected to provide a stronger, safer, and more reliable crossing for thousands of commuters, transport operators, and local residents who depend on this key route for daily travel and trade.

Setikhola Hydropower Project Begins Trial Power Generation

The Setikhola Hydropower Project started feeding power into the national grid on a trial basis following a technical inspection by the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA). Promoted by Setikhola Hydropower Limited and directed by Deepak Baral, the 22-megawatt facility began construction in 2021 in Pokhara Metropolitan City-33, Kaski. Commercial production will start after a 15-day trial period. The Rs 5.05 billion project faced delays due to forest area approval hurdles for its transmission line towers. Preparations are underway to issue an Initial Public Offering (IPO) within the next fiscal year.

Cabinet Approves Medical Education Commission Grant Procedure

The Medical Education Commission on Thursday approved the Medical Education Commission Grant Operation Procedure, 2026, during its 26th meeting chaired by Prime Minister and Commission Chair Balendra Shah. The meeting, held at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers in Singha Durbar, endorsed the procedure following its presentation by the commission’s newly appointed Vice Chair Dr Devendra Khatri. The meeting was co-chaired by Minister for Health and Food Safety Nisha Mehta and Minister for Education and Sports Sasmit Pokharel.

Cabinet Clears Hurdle for Dhalkebar-Hetauda 400 kV Transmission Line

The government has cleared the remaining obstacles to the Dhalkebar-Hetauda 400 kV transmission line by approving the use of forest land in Makwanpur, paving the way for construction of the project that had been stalled for 12 years. A Cabinet meeting on Wednesday authorized the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) to use 2.2 hectares of national forest land and approved the felling of 1,292 trees in accordance with the Forest Act, 2019. The project had been delayed due to pending approvals related to forest land, right of way, and tree removal. The 300-kilometer Dhalkebar-Hetauda-Inaruwa corridor requires a 46-meter-wide right of way for the 400 kV transmission line. The new line will strengthen the national transmission system, improve east-west electricity flow, reduce power interruptions, and increase Nepal’s electricity export capacity to India. The project would boost export capacity from the current 1,000 MW to 2,500 to 3,000 MW once fully operational.

Transmission Line to be Built for Bheri-Babai Hydroelectricity Integration

A 1.7 km long 132 kV transmission line will be constructed to integrate the 46.8 MW of electricity generated by the national pride Bheri-Babai Diversion Multipurpose Project into the national grid via the Kohalpur-Surkhet line. The proposed route will feature nine towers, with three located in the core area of Bardiya National Park and six in its buffer zone, impacting Bheri Ganga Municipality-5 in Surkhet and parts of the park. Currently, the overall project has achieved 70 percent physical progress and 57 percent financial progress, with the tunnel complete while civil, hydromechanical, and electromechanical works are ongoing. Completion will take another three years, prompting Energy Minister Biraj Bhakta Shrestha to recently inspect the site and order accelerated construction.

SEBON Formulates Extensive Capital Market Roadmap After Index Drops to 2,600

The Securities Board of Nepal (SEBON) issued an urgent corporate directive on Thursday after the national secondary index dropped to the 2,600-point threshold. SEBON Spokesperson Niranjan Ghimire stated that regulatory teams started updating the Securities Act, public registry codes, and listed enterprise governance rules. The financial regulator will release an official capital market development roadmap next week to standardize margin trading rules among brokerage firms. Additionally, the regulatory board warned retail stock investors to base equity trades on independent portfolio analysis rather than market rumors, coming as Prime Minister Balendra Shah increases meetings to restore private business confidence.

Local Bamboo Stool and Carpet Production Plunge

Consumer market demand for traditional bamboo stools and wool carpets manufactured inside regional correctional facilities dropped significantly, forcing active worker operations down from 200 inmates to 75 individuals. Facility managers noted that institutional supply rates fell by 50 percent, reducing monthly manufacturing files from 500 stools down to 300 items. The structural decline follows rising competition from cheap alternative plastic chairs. Average individual inmate monthly income fell from Rs 15,000 down to roughly Rs 5,000, leaving a remaining staff of only 18 workers out of an initial 45 inside the core manufacturing unit.

Gold Traded at Rs 284,700, Silver at Rs 4,340 Today

The prices of gold and silver decreased in the market today, Thursday. According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the price of gold plummeted by Rs 2,400 per tola (11.66 grams) to settle at Rs 284,700. On Wednesday, the precious metal had traded at Rs 287,100 per tola. Similarly, the price of silver also registered a decline today. The Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association reported that the price of silver dropped by Rs 160 per tola, bringing the rate down to Rs 4,340. On Wednesday, silver was priced at Rs 4,500 per tola before losing Rs 160 today.