KATHMANDU: Khabarhub brings you a glimpse of major developments of the day in Nepal, including politics, business/economy, sports, entertainment, and more.
RSP to inform public about government’s achievements through lawmakers
The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has announced plans to inform the public about the work carried out by the current government. RSP Parliamentary Party Deputy Leader Ganesh Parajuli said many positive and public-oriented initiatives taken by the government have not reached the people, and party lawmakers will visit their constituencies to share information about the government’s achievements. Speaking to journalists at the Parliament building in Singha Durbar on Wednesday, Parajuli said further discussions would be held within the parliamentary party, including with the party chair, prime minister, and parliamentary party leader, before lawmakers visit their respective constituencies.
Govt sets deadline to remove unused internet, telephone and TV cables from Kathmandu Valley streets
The government has directed concerned authorities to prepare a time-bound action plan to remove tangled and unused internet, telephone, and television cables hanging from utility poles and pavements across the Kathmandu Valley. A high-level inter-agency meeting held at the Ministry of Energy in the presence of Minister for Communication and Information Technology Dr Bikram Timilsina and Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Biraj Bhakta Shrestha instructed Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA), Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), Nepal Telecom, Ncell, and the Internet Service Providers’ Association of Nepal (ISPAN) to prepare an integrated plan and remove unused cables from six locations in the first phase by the second week of Shrawan. The meeting decided that NTA would lead the cable management initiative, while all service providers would be required to place clear identification tags on their cables. It also decided to maintain regular coordination among concerned agencies and review progress regularly to ensure visible results for the public.
SEBON chief vows zero tolerance against illegal pre-IPO activities
Nepal Securities Board (SEBON) Chair Dr Gopal Prasad Bhatta has said the regulator will adopt a zero-tolerance policy against illegal activities related to pre-IPO investments and other irregularities in the capital market. Speaking at a meeting of the House of Representatives’ Finance Committee at Singha Durbar on Wednesday, Bhatta said the board would focus on preventing future misconduct rather than dwelling on past incidents. He pledged that IPO approvals and all other regulatory processes would be carried out through a transparent system. Bhatta said he had recently held discussions with investors to boost their confidence, claiming the meetings had helped improve investor sentiment.
House of Representatives meeting adjourned for two weeks
The meeting of the House of Representatives has been postponed for two weeks. Speaker Dol Prasad Aryal announced that the next meeting of the lower house will be held on Shrawan 14 at 11:00 am. The decision to suspend the House meeting for two weeks was taken during a meeting of the Business Advisory Committee held on Wednesday morning, following discussions between Speaker Aryal and chief whips of opposition parties. The Speaker informed the House that the adjournment was made in line with the decision reached during the committee meeting.
PM Shah urges hoteliers not to worry, says tourism promotion moving ahead rapidly
Prime Minister Balendra Shah has urged hotel entrepreneurs not to worry, saying the government is moving ahead rapidly with efforts to promote Nepal’s tourism sector. During a meeting with office bearers of the Hotel Association Nepal (HAN) at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers on Wednesday, Shah said the government has given high priority to the private sector and encouraged businesses to view the state as a strong development partner. The prime minister called on hotel operators to comply with the law, fulfil their business responsibilities, register small and medium-sized hotels with the Department of Tourism, bring them into the tax net, and study areas for collaboration under the public-private partnership (PPP) model.
Govt declares upcoming fiscal year as Law Reform and Drafting Year
The government has declared the upcoming fiscal year as the “Law Reform and Drafting Year” with plans to revise existing laws and introduce new legislation. Speaking at Wednesday’s meeting of the House of Representatives, Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Sobita Gautam said the government has submitted a list of 166 bills planned for drafting in the upcoming fiscal year. Minister Gautam said fiscal year 2026/27 has been designated as the Law Reform and Drafting Year to make the process of improving existing laws and creating new ones more effective. The initiative will include repealing outdated laws, amending existing acts, codifying and consolidating legal provisions, and identifying areas requiring new legislation.
UML demands unconditional release of detained student leaders
The CPN-UML has expressed serious objection to the arrest of seven student leaders, including All Nepal National Free Students’ Union (ANNFSU) President Deepak Dhami, and demanded their immediate and unconditional release. In a statement issued on Wednesday, the main opposition party condemned the government’s action, alleging that police used force to detain students who were staging a peaceful demonstration outside the southern gate of Singha Durbar. According to UML Publicity Department Chief Niraj Acharya, those arrested include ANNFSU President Deepak Dhami, Jit Sitaula, Sudip Thapa, Bishal Khadka, Rabi Magar, Bishnu Uparkoti and Shirish Budhathoki. The UML said the protest was organised against rising prices, the treatment of landless settlers and what it described as increasing state repression.
Lawmakers urge govt to prioritize mental health policy, health insurance, and digital public services
Lawmakers have urged the government to prioritize reforms to mental health policy, expand the implementation of the national health insurance programme in well-equipped hospitals, and improve digital public service delivery. Speaking during the emergency hour of Wednesday’s House of Representatives meeting, Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) lawmaker KP Khanal called on both the ruling and opposition parties to unite in revising Nepal’s mental health policy to address rising cases of self-harm, suicide, and depression. RSP lawmaker Raj Kishore Mahato urged the government to implement the health insurance programme in major hospitals across the country.
ANNFSU stages protest demanding PM Balen Shah’s resignation
The All Nepal National Free Students’ Union (ANNFSU) staged a protest in Kathmandu on Wednesday, demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Balen Shah and the release of detained student leaders. Protesters marched through the capital carrying placards and chanting slogans against the government. They called on Prime Minister Shah to take moral responsibility and step down from office. The demonstrators also demanded the immediate release of student leaders who were arrested during recent protests.
Education consultancy operators announce protest against new regulations
Education consultancy operators have announced a protest, expressing dissatisfaction with several provisions of the Educational Consultancy, Language Training and Test Preparation Classes (Operation and Management) Regulations. At a press conference in Kathmandu on Wednesday, the Joint Struggle Committee of Education Consultancy Operators said certain provisions of the new regulations could force many consultancy businesses to shut down. Committee coordinator Deepak Gurung said the first phase of the protest would see operators wearing black armbands while continuing their regular work on Thursday. A peaceful demonstration with placards will also be held at various locations in Kathmandu from 11:00 am to 11:30 am on Shrawan 1.
Parliamentary committee directs government to control LPG black market and artificial shortages
The Industry and Commerce and Labour and Consumer Interest Committee under the House of Representatives has directed the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies to take measures to control black marketing and artificial shortages of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). During a meeting held at Singha Durbar on Wednesday, Committee Chair Rahbar Ansari instructed the ministry to conduct a study on the possibility and impact of expanding LPG pipeline networks for long-term supply management and submit a report to the committee within seven days. The committee also directed the ministry, Nepal Oil Corporation, and LPG companies to carry out regular monitoring and ensure quality checks of gas cylinders to reduce risks to consumers from the use of old cylinders.
Tomato farmers dump produce on road in Maitighar protest
Tomato farmers staged a protest at Maitighar Mandala in Kathmandu on Wednesday by dumping tomatoes on the road, expressing dissatisfaction with the government’s agricultural policies. The farmers accused the government of failing to provide adequate subsidies, ensure fair prices for agricultural products, and create a reliable market for local producers. They said import-focused policies have further affected domestic farmers. During the protest, farmers said they have been unable to sell their tomato production and are struggling to recover even their production costs. They accused the government of ignoring their concerns and failing to address the challenges faced by farmers.
Bagmati River erosion puts Taudaha settlements at risk
Continuous erosion caused by the Bagmati River has put several houses east of Taudaha at risk, raising concerns over the future of one of the Kathmandu Valley’s major tourist destinations. Taudaha, located in Kirtipur Municipality-6, has come under increasing threat after the Bagmati changed its course over the past two years and began eroding the western riverbank. The erosion has endangered settlements on the eastern and southern sides of the lake. Local resident Milan Khadka said the situation has become increasingly serious. “Settlements east of Taudaha are now at risk due to the river’s erosion. Water from the lake has already started seeping through the eastern embankments. If timely measures are not taken, the very existence of Taudaha could be threatened,” he said.
Rautahat man injured after attempting self-immolation
A 28-year-old man was injured after allegedly attempting self-immolation by pouring petrol over himself in Garuda Municipality-9 of Rautahat. The incident took place at around 1 am on Tuesday night when Gautam Kumar Sahani of Gamahariya reportedly set himself on fire after taking petrol from his motorcycle, according to police. Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Shankar Prasad Acharya, chief of the Area Police Office, Garuda, said Sahani had been under mental stress for the past few days.
Contract employees stage protest outside Singha Durbar against outsourcing plan
Contract-based employees from 18 ministries staged a sit-in protest outside Singha Durbar on Wednesday, demanding the government withdraw its plan to replace contract workers with outsourced employees. The protesting employees said the proposed move would put the jobs of thousands of workers who have been serving under contract for years at risk. They urged the government to ensure job security for existing contract employees and halt the decision to implement an outsourcing system. The employees have warned that replacing current staff through outsourcing would create uncertainty among those who have been contributing to government services for a long period.
Kathmandu Metropolis city police return to duty, begin removing illegal parking
Kathmandu Metropolitan City’s municipal police personnel have returned to duty and resumed operations in different areas of the city. Following the self-immolation incident involving Ganesh Nepali, municipal police had not been deployed on the streets, causing disorder in some parts of the Kathmandu Valley. After returning to the streets on Wednesday, municipal police have started removing vehicles parked haphazardly in the New Road area. The city police have resumed traffic management and enforcement activities as part of efforts to maintain order in the capital.
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