KATHMANDU: The export-based industries employing at least 100 women are to be incentivized with subsidized loan.

Nepal Rastra Bank’s new unified directive has stipulated an arrangement for the authorized institutions to keep loan interest rate by adding a maximum of one percent point premium to the base rate for the industries exporting 25 percent of their total production after adding up minimum value by 25 percent.

Such loans should be disbursed for a period of one year or the period until the institutions resume operations.
Similarly, arrangement has been made to offer loan with an addition of maximum premium of only 0.50 percent points to the base rate for salaries and other benefits for employees working in industries, businesses, commercial establishments and economic activities directly affected by adverse situation during the Gen Z protests.

Such a loan should be disbursed for the shorter period of one year until the institution becomes operational. For the interest rate on the disbursed loan, a two percent interest subsidy from the government will be provided for six months.

The employment provider should apply for such a loan by mid-January 2026. The central bank’s directive has come up with an arrangement that a loan-to-value ratio of 80 percent can be maintained while granting loan to replace vehicles and transport means used for business purpose in industries and business establishments directly affected by the Gen Z protests.

At the request of the borrower, the authorized institutions can verify the impact of disruption by natural disasters at Rasuwa and Tatopani customs points

on affected loans and restructured them by Mid January 2026. The restructured loans would be classified in the same categories as they were by 16 July 2025.