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:

NRB Integrates Digital Mapping Service Gateways

Operating under Section 79 of the Nepal Rastra Bank Act 2002, the Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) issued formal regulatory modifications to its unified directives governing class “A”, “B”, and “C” licensed financial institutions. The electronic governance mandate instructs all commercial banking boardrooms to integrate institutional user profiles into the state-managed Mero Kitta digital mapping network to process property map prints, field books, and plot register records via secure online channels. Furthermore, the banking regulator clarified that international donor-funded development credit lines distributed between domestic commercial houses will be excluded from standard interbank borrowing calculations.

NEPSE Decreases by 8.14 Points with Rs 3.91 Billion Turnover

The NEPSE index fell 8.14 points on Thursday to close at 2,728.03, while daily turnover dropped to Rs 3.91 billion from Rs 4.29 billion a day earlier. Shares of 82 companies gained, 178 declined, and 13 remained unchanged. The finance sector led losses, falling 1.45 percent, while hotels and tourism rose 0.47 percent and manufacturing gained 0.26 percent. City Hotel, Central Finance, Bungal Hydropower, People’s Hydropower, and Ankhukhola Hydropower were among the most traded stocks. Sopan Pharmaceuticals and Apollo Hydropower surged 15 percent each, while Saptakoshi Development Bank plunged 13.51 percent, the steepest decline of the day.

Finance Minister Welcomes Investigation into Budget Errors

Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle has said he would welcome any formal investigation into alleged tax rate changes and formatting inconsistencies in the federal budget. Responding to queries during a meeting of the Public Accounts Committee on Thursday, Wagle emphasized that he has no objection to a dedicated probe body examining the issue in detail to clear the air. While accepting political and administrative responsibility for the procedural lapses, Wagle argued that the reported discrepancies stemmed from human fatigue and last-minute compilation work rather than deliberate policy manipulation. He explained that exhausted staff working until early morning hours led to minor formatting shifts, including missing pages. He defended the contested tax structure for electric vehicles and urged prioritizing broader fiscal concerns like revenue arrears.

Tax Rate Dispute Sparks Fierce Clash in Parliament

A heated debate erupted within the Public Accounts Committee as lawmakers clashed over alleged tax rate manipulations in the upcoming budget. Rastriya Prajatantra Party chief whip Khushbu Oli demanded a collective investigation, rejecting claims that discrepancies were mere “linguistic errors.” She emphasized that a one percent tax rate fluctuation shifts billions in state revenue, making post-table alterations a grave threat to systemic transparency. Conversely, Rastriya Swatantra Party lawmakers Manish Jha and Bipin Acharya strongly criticized launching probes based on social media headlines, arguing it stifles due process and damages Nepal’s international investment climate. Lawmaker Khagendra Sunar also cautioned against political scapegoating of Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle for minor bureaucratic or technical errors already acknowledged by the Ministry of Finance.

Madhesh Assembly Unanimously Passes Policy Program

The Madhesh Province Assembly successfully endorsed the provincial executive’s policy and program budget document for the upcoming fiscal year 2026/27 following a unanimous legislative vote. Treasury leaders presented the comprehensive 27-page developmental road map, which integrated localized agricultural stabilization schemes, rural soil health improvement strategies, and targeted literacy enrollment projects across regional farming communities. Parliamentary record logs confirm that lawmakers rejected minority structural revision sheets via a majority house vote, while former executive members formally withdrew their pending amendment bills to enable clear passage of the central provincial development plan.

Sudurpaschim’s Local Units Face Fertilizer Deprivation Warning

The Ministry of Agriculture, Forest, and Environment issued an emergency deadline to 26 local governance units across nine districts of Far Western Province for failing to collect their assigned chemical fertilizer quotas. Official storage records from the Krishi Samagri Company and Salt Trading Corporation verify that critical agricultural depots in Dadeldhura, Baitadi, Darchula, Bajura, Bajhang, and Doti left their state-subsidized shares untouched ahead of the peak paddy transplantation cycle. Agricultural officials warned that if municipal transport trucks fail to load remaining storage allocations, state supply warehouses will initiate direct public distributions to ensure localized crop protection for regional rice growers.

Birgunj Customs Arrears Exceed Rs 10 Billion

The Birgunj Customs Office logged a historic escalation in long-standing unrecovered financial audit arrears, with outstanding dues crossing Rs 10 billion due to uncompleted post-clearance trade settlements. Internal audit reports indicate that corporate importers frequently rely on provisional bank guarantees to clear incoming commercial consignments without submitting verified paperwork, neglecting to finalize matching customs declarations later. Port administrators noted that the uncollected financial dues are concentrated heavily within commercial vehicle import pipelines, where field inspectors routinely detect severe discrepancies between initial electronic declarations and the engine configurations or seating capacities of arriving cargo fleets.

Nepalgunj Customs Records Revenue Collection Deficit

The Nepalgunj Customs Office collected an aggregate revenue yield of Rs 16.739 million over the opening 10 months of the current fiscal year 2025/26, down significantly from its localized strategic target. Financial summaries demonstrate that while current collections grew by Rs 270 million year-on-year, border checkpoints missed their specific 10-month baseline goal of Rs 20.107 billion due to shifting trade volumes. Trade ledgers spanning through the month of May track total cross-border import values hitting Rs 70.23 billion against export volumes containing Rs 2.826 billion.

Chitwan District Obtains Rs 4 Billion in Federal Grants

The Ministry of Finance authorized Rs 4.96 billion in intergovernmental financial transfers for the seven operating local government areas within Chitwan District for the fiscal year 2026/027. Budget distribution charts place Bharatpur Metropolitan City as the leading regional recipient with Rs 2.051 billion in total support, containing Rs 396.5 million in equalization funding alongside Rs 1.61 billion in conditional project grants. Concurrently, Ratnanagar Municipality secured Rs 583.4 million, while Madi Municipality obtained Rs 502.6 million to finance localized urban services.

Dang District Obtains Rs 4 Billion in Federal Grants

The Ministry of Finance finalized its intergovernmental fiscal distribution schedules for the upcoming fiscal year 2026/027, allocating Rs 4.893 billion in developmental grants across 10 local units inside Dang District. Official planning registers confirm that Ghorahi Sub-Metropolitan City secured the highest municipal funding share at Rs 1.094 billion, followed by Tulsipur Sub-Metropolitan City at Rs 974.8 million, and Lamhi Municipality at Rs 413.5 million. National fiscal commissions calculated the individualized funding portfolios using structured performance metrics evaluating local legal compliance, public service delivery efficiency, and regional infrastructure implementation rates.

Rolpa District Obtains Rs 3 Billion in Federal Grants

The federal government finalized a total intergovernmental financial transfer of Rs 3.349 billion to support the annual development budgets of local governance units across Rolpa District for the fiscal year 2026/27. The combined federal allocation reflects a minor Rs 108.8 million reduction compared to the previous year’s funding pools, distributing funds across equalization, conditional, special, and complementary budget titles. Treasury allocation breakdowns confirm that Rolpa Municipality will receive Rs 118.6 million in equalization funds, while surrounding rural zones like Triveni, Thabang, and Parivartan secured customized grant formulas based on baseline performance reviews.

Two Pilots Mandatory for Helicopters from June 15

The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal has introduced strict monsoon safety rules, mandating two pilots for all helicopter flights during the 2026 rainy season. Issuing its annual circular, the Flight Safety Standards Department stipulated that the dual-pilot rule takes effect from June 15, 2026, lasting until the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology declares the monsoon’s end. Medical evacuation missions carrying stretcher patients are exempted. The directive enforces rigorous pre-flight inspections, requiring pilots and dispatchers to verify the aircraft’s technical state, minimum equipment list, and routing weather. Flights will be denied clearance unless critical systems, including weather radar, anti-skid systems, flight control surfaces, engine reverse thrust, and ground proximity warning systems, are fully operational. Pilots must maintain safe separation from severe weather and divert if conditions worsen.

Seti River Bridge Reconstruction Timeline Extended

The Department of Roads extended the construction deadline for the two new Seti River bridges in Pokhara until March 5, 2027. The Rs 1.07 billion project, funded by an Asian Development Bank loan, was delayed because of water pipeline relocations and land compensation disputes with local homeowners. These obstacles are now resolved after the remaining landowners accepted their compensation packages. The Rasuwa Construction Company has already completed 120 foundation pilings and four main support towers, bringing total physical progress on the 190-meter concrete structures to 61 percent ahead of the new summer deadline.

Rs 4 Billion Mugling–Malekhu Section Opening 4 Bridges by Mid-July

At least four bridges along the Mugling-Malekhu section of the Prithvi Highway are expected to come into operation by mid-July, with more than 90 percent of construction completed, project officials said. The bridges over Khahare Khola, Chiraudi Khola, Gomati Khola, and Hugdi Khola are undergoing final works, including access roads, painting and safety installations. Additional bridge works at Hugdi and Charaudi are also progressing. Road paving, suspended due to a bitumen shortage, is set to resume once supplies arrive. Drainage and roadside infrastructure works continue. The 38.86-kilometer highway upgrade has achieved 43 percent progress so far. The project, funded with World Bank support, is being built at a cost of Rs 4.805 billion. The construction deadline has already been extended by 183 days, with another extension under review.

Rs 9 Million Worth of Pumpkin Seeds Seized at Nepal-India Border

Police seized 12.88 tons of pumpkin seeds worth Rs 9 million from the Nepal-India border in Rautahat on Wednesday, foiling an alleged smuggling attempt into India. Acting on a tip-off, a joint team of Nepal Police and the Armed Police Force recovered the seeds from Bankul Settlement in Baudhimai Municipality-7 of the district. Authorities said the consignment was being transported illegally across the border. The operation triggered a brief clash after locals obstructed police efforts. Officers fired six rounds of tear gas after stone-pelting broke out. Three civilians and three police personnel sustained minor injuries. Police are preparing to hand over the seized seeds to customs authorities for further action.

Kathmandu to Face Scheduled Power Cuts for 3 Days

Electricity supply will be suspended for 3.5 hours daily over three days in several parts of Kathmandu as the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) replaces aging conductors on the 132 kV Syuchatar-Matatirth transmission line. According to the NEA, areas served by the Thankot and Satungal feeders under the Kuleshwor Distribution Center will experience outages from 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The affected locations include parts of Balambu, Naikap, Dahachowk, Dhungedhara, Chundevi, Shrijana Chowk, Sinchaphant, Dhaulagiri Gate, and nearby areas. The utility said the maintenance work is aimed at improving network reliability, adding that the schedule may change depending on weather conditions.

Kathmandu Traffic Police Log Rs 2 Million in Fines in 24 Hours

The Kathmandu Valley Traffic Police Office penalized 2,297 vehicle operators for violating transit regulations over a past 24-hour operational window, generating more than Rs 2 million for the state treasury. Enforcement logs confirm that highway units penalized 103 individuals for driving under the influence of alcohol, 134 operators for conducting unauthorized ride-sharing activities, 102 drivers for red-light infractions, and 108 motorists for tracking over regional speed limits. Additionally, traffic units disciplined 141 drivers for lane discipline violations, 186 for honking inside restricted silent zones, 158 for sidewalk parking breaches, and 77 for wrong-way driving maneuvers on designated one-way streets.

Sarbottam Paints Launches IPO

Sarbottam Paints Industries initiated the retail distribution phase for its commercial initial public offering (IPO) after wrapping up preliminary share allocations reserved for Nepali citizens employed in overseas labor markets. The manufacturing corporation secured formal regulatory clearance from the Securities Board of Nepal to float 25 percent of its Rs 340 million issued capital base, issuing 850,000 equity units. Brokerage ledgers confirm that after deducting allocations for mutual funds and internal corporate staff, retail investors can submit electronic applications via C-ASBA member banks for 705,500 available equity units valued at a fixed par value of Rs 100 per share through June 16.

Gold Traded at Rs 286,700, Silver at Rs 4,650 Today

Gold and silver prices witnessed a significant decline in the market today. According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the price of gold plummeted by Rs 5,100 per tola (11.66 grams), bringing it down to Rs 286,700. Just the day before, on Wednesday, fine gold had traded at Rs 291,800 per tola. In tandem with gold, the price of silver also dropped today. The association reported that silver prices fell by Rs 90 per tola to settle at Rs 4,650, compared to Wednesday’s trading price of Rs 4,740 per tola.