RAJESH KHANAL

The contributor for Republica.
news@myrepublica.com

Hydro Hopes: Tapping the Untapped Potential

Published On: April 26, 2022 04:51 PM NPT By: RAJESH KHANAL

Enduring long hours of load-shedding everyday for over a decade, Nepal became free from the problem of power blackout only a couple of years ago. And today, perhaps for the first time in its history, the country produces 2150MW of electricity, against the present peak demand of around 1500 MW. This has heightened the country’s hydro hopes in terms of both domestic consumption and exporting the surplus power to neighboring India and Bangladesh – the best way to address the perennial problem of widening trade deficit.

The Story of Nepal’s Unhealthy Health System

Published On: March 1, 2022 06:30 AM NPT By: RAJESH KHANAL

The government has allocated Rs 146 billion for health infrastructures development in the current fiscal year. But the budget remains largely unspent even after six months of the current fiscal year.

Economic recovery: Some rays of hope but still a long way to go

Published On: January 1, 2022 06:05 AM NPT By: RAJESH KHANAL

The year 2021 was definitely not as bleak as the previous year in terms of freeing the economy from the claws of the COVID-19 pandemic. Economic activities gathered pace as the spread of the coronavirus slowed down gradually. Signs are positive but the economy could fall into a crisis if corrective measures are not implemented on time

Billions of rupees of depositors in cooperatives at risk due to lack of effective regulation

Published On: December 14, 2021 06:30 AM NPT By: RAJESH KHANAL

KATHMANDU, Dec 13: Cooperatives, member-based local organizations that are supposed to work in the interest of the general public, have instead been found cheating the small savers time and again, thanks to poor monitoring by the regulator.

NRB calls off its own decision to lift the ban on high priced imports in just 24 hours

Published On: October 31, 2021 09:45 AM NPT By: RAJESH KHANAL

KATHMANDU, Oct 31: In a controversial move, Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB)—the country’s apex monetary body—has called off its decision to lift the ban on the import of luxury vehicles in less than 24 hours.

Revised budget allocates excess funds for distributive programs despite govt commitment to cut unproductive spending

Published On: September 12, 2021 07:00 AM NPT By: RAJESH KHANAL

KATHMANDU, September 12: The government, despite its commitment to give respite to the COVID-battered economy, has introduced pork barrel programs for the pandemic-hit sectors by allocating large amounts of funds on distributive headings.

Monetary Policy 2021/22 announces additional packages and liquidity management programs for recovery of pandemic-affected economy

Published On: August 15, 2021 07:00 AM NPT By: RAJESH KHANAL

KATHMANDU, August 15: Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) on Friday unveiled the monetary policy 2021/22 amid ongoing criticism for delaying to issue one of the country’s important macroeconomic policies.

Govt speeds up ‘Asare Bikas’ to book increased spending in development projects

Published On: June 29, 2021 09:07 AM NPT By: RAJESH KHANAL

KATHMANDU, June 29: The government has sped up ‘Asare Bikas’-- the year-end rush to exhaust the money allocated for development projects -- in a bid to save it from potential criticisms that it was unable to make enough capital expenditure.

Ignoring cautions from various quarters, caretaker govt unveils full budget with populist programs

Published On: May 29, 2021 09:01 PM NPT By: RAJESH KHANAL

KATHMANDU, May 29: The government has unveiled a budget of Rs 1.647 trillion, introducing a number of populist programs, despite the widespread concerns from various fronts not to launch such programs at a time when midterm elections have been announced.

Nepal’s export earnings cross Rs 100 billion mark, realizing govt target in over decades

Published On: May 25, 2021 12:30 PM NPT By: RAJESH KHANAL

KATHMANDU, May 25: Nepal’s earnings from merchandise exports crossed Rs 100 billion during the first ten months of the current fiscal year.

Political mess makes enactment of new national budget uncertain

Published On: May 22, 2021 09:15 PM NPT By: RAJESH KHANAL

KATHMANDU, May 22: The ongoing political wrangling has thrown the enactment of the annual national budget into uncertainty even as the constitutionally-defined date for budget announcement, May 29, is just a week away.

Finance ministry asks ministries not to seek budget for projects without proper preparations

Published On: March 17, 2021 07:15 AM NPT By: RAJESH KHANAL

KATHMANDU, March 17: The Ministry of Finance (MoF) on Monday asked the ministries concerned to take prudent measures while formulating the budget document to be forwarded to the MoF by March 28.

National Payment Gateway delayed by over a year; some see collusion

Published On: February 26, 2021 12:13 PM NPT By: RAJESH KHANAL

Stakeholders suspect of authority coming under influence of private digital payment companies

Govt reduces budget size by around 9 percent, blames to the impact of COVID-19

Published On: February 9, 2021 07:45 PM NPT By: RAJESH KHANAL

KATHMANDU, Feb 9: The government has reduced the budget of the current fiscal year to Rs 1.34 trillion from Rs 1.47 trillion, citing the spread of the COVID-19 that resulted in slow expenditure and revenue mobilization during the first half of the fiscal year.

The ongoing political chaos may leave serious negative impacts on the country’s economy

Published On: February 5, 2021 06:30 AM NPT By: RAJESH KHANAL

KATHMANDU, Feb 5: The Nepal Bandha called by the Dahal-Nepal faction of the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) on Thursday has once again crippled the country’s economy at a time when the economic activities have slowly started to gain pace.

Ordinary people are hit hard as food prices see a massive surge

Published On: January 26, 2021 07:30 AM NPT By: RAJESH KHANAL

KATHMANDU, Jan 26: Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) in its Current Macroeconomic report of the first five months of the current fiscal year has stated that the consumer price inflation remained 2.93 percent during the period.

Entrepreneurs complain of undue pressure from banks to pay back loans earlier

Published On: January 4, 2021 09:55 AM NPT By: RAJESH KHANAL

KATHMANDU, Jan 3: Last week, a group of entrepreneurs took to NIC Asia Bank complaining about the unnecessary pressure given by the bank’s officials on borrowers to settle the loan amount earlier than the prescribed date of loan maturity.

Nepal to claim geographical indication right on Basmati paddy

Published On: December 10, 2020 06:30 AM NPT By: RAJESH KHANAL

KATHMANDU, Dec 9: The government has stepped up to claim the geographical indication (GI) right on Basmati paddy in the European Union (EU), in response to India seeking an approval to receive GI certification for the same from the political and economic union of 27 member countries.

Main accused ordered to deposit Rs 10 million, serve a jail term of one year

Published On: October 10, 2020 09:00 PM NPT By: RAJESH KHANAL

KATHMANDU, Oct 10: The Department of Commerce, Supplies and Consumer Protection on Friday ordered the proprietor of Ian Distributor Pvt Ltd, the company involved in relabelling of various expired food items and supplying them to the market, to deposit an amount of Rs 10 million. Similarly, the market regulator slapped a one-year jail term on an Indian national involved in the scam.

Nepal’s trade deficit declines by one fourth in first two months of current fiscal year

Published On: September 28, 2020 07:30 AM NPT By: RAJESH KHANAL

KATHMANDU, Sept 28: Nepal’s trade deficit during the period of mid-July to mid-September declined by 24.93 percent, significantly lowering the import expenses.