Hari Prasad Shrestha

Nepal must urgently attract foreign direct investment to reduce its excessive reliance on public debt for mega infrastructure projects.

Kathmandu can transform its chaotic public transport system through integrated electric buses, Bus Rapid Transit, stronger public institutions, and effective public-private partnerships.

Nepal's 2026/27 budget combines ambitious economic reforms and governance measures with a strong pro-growth agenda, but its success will depend on implementation amid mounting fiscal and debt pressures.

Introducing multiple VAT rates in Nepal could help reduce informal border trade with India, support domestic industries, and create a more balanced and competitive economy.

Nepal’s declining manufacturing sector, driven by structural weaknesses, policy bottlenecks, and investment challenges, raises urgent questions about whether recent reforms can revive industrial growth and reverse deindustrialization.

One of the major problems in the health sector, not only in Nepal but also in most developing countries, is the payment of hospital bills by the general public. 

Nepal’s repeated reliance on caretaker governments during political crises highlights a growing debate over whether a constitutionally mandated, non-partisan interim administration is necessary to ensure free and fair elections or whether it undermines democratic accountability.

The Gen Z revolution has sparked debates on introducing term limits to encourage generational change and curb entrenched power. Term limits can prevent political entrenchment, reduce corruption, and promote accountability and fresh ideas.

Nepal’s new government faces unprecedented economic challenges after the short-lived Gen Z protests, with massive property destruction, rising public debt and stalled productive sectors threatening recovery. Finance Minister Rameswore Khanal must navigate reconstruction, election funding and b...

It is important to note that while unemployment is increasing, the industrial and service sectors are simultaneously facing an acute shortage of skilled professionals.