Author: space4knews

On Monday, the NEPSE index dropped by 13.17 points, closing at 2825 points. The trading volume decreased from NPR 746 crore to NPR 543 crore. Shares of four companies increased by 15 percent, including Suryakund Hydro Electric and Hotel Forest Inn. Kathmandu, 7 Baishakh.

On the first trading day of the week, the stock market index NEPSE fell by 13.17 points, closing at 2825 points. The index reached a peak of 2845 points just six minutes into trading, which remained the highest level for the day. In the previous session, NEPSE had risen by 5 points. Today’s trading volume also declined, from NPR 746 crore recorded previously to NPR 543 crore.

While 65 companies saw their share prices increase, 197 companies experienced declines, and 6 companies’ prices remained unchanged. The Hotel and Tourism sector recorded the highest sectoral rise at 1.01 percent. All other sectors’ indices experienced declines, with Banking down 0.84 percent, Development Banks down 0.16 percent, and Finance down 0.70 percent.

The declines across sectoral indices remained under 1 percent. Shares of four companies surged by 15 percent each. This increase is attributable to the new rule implemented from today allowing up to 15 percent fluctuation in share prices. The companies whose shares increased by 15 percent are Suryakund Hydro Electric, Hotel Forest Inn, Palpa Cement Industries, and Shikhar Power.

The government has imposed mandatory customs duties on goods imported from India valued at 100 rupees or more. This policy has led to a decrease in movement and trade around the Gaurifanta border in Kailali district. According to statistics from the Armed Police Force, since the beginning of the month of Baishakh, daily vehicle traffic at the Gaurifanta border has declined by half. Pushkarraj Ojha, president of the Kailali Chamber of Commerce and Industry, expressed confidence that expanding the tax base will increase government revenue collection and curb illegal imports. (7 Baishakh, Dhangadhi)

The usual bustling activity at the Gaurifanta border in Kailali has noticeably slowed compared to previous days. The number of people carrying shopping bags crossing the border from morning till evening has diminished. The trading pace on both sides—the Gaurifanta market in India and the Dokebazar in Nepal—has slowed. Local traders have reported that the government’s decision to impose mandatory customs duties on goods imported from India valued at a minimum of 100 rupees has directly affected the livelihoods of people in the border region.

Nepalis who habitually crossed to India for small purchases have become fewer in number, causing a slowdown in economic activity in the border area. For Dalbahadur Bik, who runs a retail shop in Dokebazar, Ward-11 of Punarbas Municipality in Kanchanpur, the reduced shopping traffic is a serious concern for trade. He said, “Since the government has imposed taxes even on goods worth up to 100 rupees, fewer people are going to India for shopping. This has clearly impacted our business.”

According to the Armed Police Force data, 234 four-wheeled vehicles crossed the Gaurifanta border on 1 Baishakh. The numbers dropped to 232 on 2 Baishakh, 197 on 3 Baishakh, and 207 on 4 Baishakh. The police stated that the new provisions have helped control illegal imports.

Pushkarraj Ojha, president of Kailali Chamber of Commerce and Industry, stated, “It is a sound business practice to import goods only after paying taxes on each item. The tax base should be expanded to completely eradicate illegal imports.” He also emphasized the need to ensure seamless movement for laborers in the Far-Western region.

Editorial review of news summary. Nepali weddings are becoming increasingly expensive, often depleting years of savings for ordinary families or increasing their debt burden. When planning a wedding, it is essential to determine a total budget in advance and allocate it across various categories. Nowadays, Nepali weddings have become extremely costly. Large party halls, expensive lighting, imported decorations, multiple events, and hundreds of guests can wipe out a family’s hard-earned savings overnight. Without sufficient savings, debt accumulates over the years. However, a wedding is a beautiful chapter in life—not a competition of extravagance. By cutting unnecessary expenses, some savings can be preserved to start a new life. While the desire to impress and emulate flashy styles is natural, striving for an overly grand wedding can cause financial difficulties. Reducing costs does not mean skipping the celebration; with proper planning, a wedding can be joyful, memorable, and affordable.

1. Establish a Clear Budget in Advance: Before beginning wedding plans, determine the overall budget, for example, 500,000, 700,000, or 800,000 Nepali rupees. Then divide this sum among categories such as catering, clothing, jewelry, photography, transportation, and more. All decisions must adhere to this limit. When consulting party halls, openly share your budget and ask, “What is possible within this amount?” This helps avoid costly options. It is crucial to discuss budget plans with both families and guardians to prevent financial stress later.

2. Choose a Sensible Venue: Large party halls may charge between NPR 1,500 to 3,500 per plate. Instead, opt for budget-friendly venues within the valley such as community halls, Guthi halls, or heritage sites. These locations often offer basic decoration, lighting, and parking as part of a package. They are naturally beautiful spaces that do not require expensive decor.

3. Destination Weddings – A Cost-Effective Alternative: The notion that destination weddings are costly is a misconception. Small and beautiful weddings can be held at locations like the shores of Fewa Lake in Pokhara, the scenic Himalayas of Nagarkot, Chitwan jungle safaris, Dhorpatan, or Ilam. Destination weddings offer advantages such as accommodating all guests in a single resort or hotel, allowing expenses for travel, lodging, and food to be optimized, potentially reducing costs by 30–45%. The natural settings also decrease the need for elaborate decorations.

4. Wise Menu Selection: Food usually constitutes the largest expense. It is advisable to avoid costly starters, snack counters, and foreign dishes. Prioritizing traditional Nepali menus—lentils and rice (dal bhat), a variety of vegetables, meat, pickles, leafy greens, and flatbreads—can be both delicious and budget-friendly. Instead of Indian or expensive sweets, local sweets like sel roti, khajur, laddoo, and cashew barfi are better options. Reducing the number of starters and snacks can cut food costs by 20–30%.

5. Other Important Cost-Cutting Measures:

• Limit the guest list: Invite only close relatives and acquaintances. Restricting the number of guests to 150–200 can result in significant savings.
• Decor and lighting: Choose simple yet elegant decor using local flowers, fabrics, and LED lights. Avoid expensive floral arrangements.
• Reduce the number of events: Instead of separate engagement, mehendi, sagun, kanyadan, and reception ceremonies, focus on 2–3 main events. If both families agree, a single large event can suffice.
• Photography and videography: Select skilled but budget-friendly photographers instead of costly studios. Keep pre-wedding sessions short and simple.

It is important to remember that a wedding is about the love between two people and the union of two families—not a contest of extravagance or showmanship. Therefore, choose a wedding that is happy, thoughtful, and memorable rather than expensive. With careful planning, a wonderful, enjoyable, and emotionally fulfilling wedding can be organized within a limited budget. Savings can then be used for a beautiful honeymoon, furnishing a new home, or future investments.

Kathmandu, 7 Baisakh – The Committee for Strengthening Federalism and National Interests within the National Assembly reorganized three parliamentary subcommittees on Monday. The meeting, held at Singha Durbar, announced the restructuring of subcommittees focused on federalism strengthening, international relations and national security, and social justice, according to District Chairperson Jayantidevi Rai.

According to Rai, Shrikrishna Prasad Adhikari has been appointed coordinator of the Federalism Strengthening Subcommittee. Members of this subcommittee include Uday Bohara, Kiran Babu Shrestha, and Sonam Geljen Sherpa. Vishnukumari Sapkota has been selected as coordinator of the International Relations and National Security Subcommittee, whose members are Narayan Datt Mishra, Lalit Jung Shahi, and Durga Kumari Gurung.

Chairperson Rai further informed that Roshani Meche has been chosen as coordinator of the Social Justice Subcommittee, with Dharmendra Paswan and Manrupa Sharma appointed as its members. Speaking about the changes, Chairperson Rai stated, ‘‘We have currently reorganized three parliamentary subcommittees. These will be tasked with studying various areas related to federalism strengthening and national interests. Our subcommittees will work across all these domains.’’

Chairperson Rai added that the newly restructured parliamentary subcommittees will conduct studies and prepare reports on various aspects related to federalism strengthening and national interests.

The Nepali Congress has demanded that the government immediately initiate an independent, impartial, and high-level investigation into the allegations leveled against Home Minister Sudhan Gurung. The party warned that covering up these allegations would seriously damage public trust and called for the inquiry to proceed without delays or external influence. Kathmandu, 7 Baisakh.

In a press release issued on Monday, the Congress cautioned that attempts to conceal the accusations against Home Minister Gurung would lead to a significant crisis of public confidence. Spokesperson Devaraj Chalise stated in the release, “An independent, impartial, and high-level investigation process into all allegations related to the Home Minister must be initiated without delay.”

According to the Congress, transparency and accountability are fundamental pillars of democracy, making a credible, impartial, and fact-based inquiry essential. The recent case involving Home Minister Gurung has raised serious questions related to political ethics and transparency, the party said.

The ‘Global Action Week for Education’ has commenced in Nepal to ensure adequate investment in the education sector. The National Campaign for Education Nepal (NCE) has highlighted ongoing budget cuts in education and expressed concerns that rising operational expenses are adversely affecting infrastructure development. The campaign demands the government allocate 15–20 percent of the total education budget along with increased grants.

This week is being observed worldwide, and in Nepal, it is running under the slogan “Keep the Campaign Flame Alive for Education Financing.” NCE is conducting a series of awareness programs from today until April 27 to promote the campaign. Although Nepal’s constitution mandates free and compulsory basic and secondary education, it has been pointed out that sufficient budget allocation for effective implementation is lacking.

There are concerns regarding the continuous budget reductions in education in recent years. In the fiscal year 2010/11 (2067/68 BS), more than 17 percent of the total national budget was allocated to education, but currently, this has been limited to approximately 10.75 percent. Data also indicate that expected investments in education at provincial and local levels have not been met.

Labaraj Oli, President of NCE, noted that foreign aid is decreasing while debt is rising, which will pose further challenges to the education sector in the future. The campaign activities include interactions, discussions, public gatherings, radio messages, and social media awareness programs at central, provincial, and local levels.

The upcoming ‘Under Lights T20 Cricket’ series between Nepal and the UAE, scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, highlights three significant aspects for Nepal. First, it marks the return of international cricket competitions on Nepalese soil after a two-year hiatus. Second, this will be the first international match held under artificial lighting at the Kirtipur Stadium. Third, it is the inaugural home series under the leadership of Australian coach Stuart Law for the Nepalese national men’s team. The series kicks off this evening at 5 PM under the captaincy of Dipendra Singh Airee, with ticket prices set at NPR 750. The primary attraction of the series is the longstanding rivalry between Nepal and the UAE, which has consistently drawn keen interest from cricket enthusiasts.

Many will recall that the last encounter between Nepal and the UAE took place during the T20 World Cup qualifiers in 2026 held in Oman. In a thrilling match, Nepal clinched a World Cup berth by defeating the UAE by just one run on the last ball of the final over. This time, under Dipendra Singh Airee’s captaincy, Nepal’s team will participate in a T20 format on the field for the first time, introducing a fresh and exciting dynamic to the contest.

The Nepalese government rapidly upgraded the Kirtipur Cricket Ground to international standards. After construction delays by the contractor led to significant fines amounting to millions of rupees, Nepal successfully hosted its first international floodlit stadium. Earlier in 2024, Nepal participated in the T20 World Cup held in the United States and West Indies in June, and also competed in another World Cup tournament in February at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium.

Stuart Law, regarded as a skilled coach from Australia, has already formed two separate national teams prior to the series, signaling distinct strategies tailored for One Day Internationals and T20Is. Assigning Dipendra Singh Airee as the T20 captain, he has rested senior players like Rohit Paudel, thereby restructuring the team. Within the next five weeks, Law faces the pressure of achieving positive results in eight matches of the League 2 competition.

The allocation of Kalinchowk Hydropower’s initial public offering (IPO) has been completed. The shares were allocated through a formal ceremony conducted by the issue manager, RBB Merchant Banking. Accordingly, 68,475 applicants each received shares at a rate of 10 shares per applicant. The company had issued 684,750 shares to the public from Chaitra 22 to 25 at a price of NPR 100 per share.

A total of 2,784,519 applicants had applied for the shares, of which 2,635,634 applications were approved.

The company has constructed a public project with a capacity of 5 MW utilizing the Sangu River flowing in Dolakha district. The total cost of the project construction was NPR 120 crore, with a cost of NPR 24.14 crore per megawatt. The simple payback period for the investment is 9.19 years, while the discounted payback period is 15.36 years.

April 20, Kathmandu – The Nepal Biscuit Producers Association has welcomed the government’s recent tightening of border controls aimed at curbing illegal imports through customs evasion. In an official statement, the association expressed confidence that this government action will protect domestic industries, revive closed factories, and strengthen the national economy.

According to data provided by the association, there are currently 40 biscuit factories established in Nepal. However, illegal imports of foreign biscuits have adversely affected local producers, leading to 23 factories being completely shut down while only 17 remain operational.

The annual total turnover of the domestic biscuit industry is approximately NPR 15 billion. Nevertheless, the association estimates that more than NPR 6 billion worth of biscuits enter Nepal illegally every year without paying customs duties. “Although raw materials are imported with proper taxes paid, the unauthorized entry of finished biscuits through customs evasion places additional pressure on domestic manufacturers,” the statement noted. “In this context, strict border management, reduced tax evasion, and adherence to regulations in material imports represent positive steps for industry, employment, and revenue generation alike.”

Producers claim that if the government fully stops illegal imports through stringent border enforcement, there will be significant growth in both state revenue and domestic employment. The association reports that the Nepali biscuit industry currently provides direct employment to 10,000 individuals and indirectly supports 100,000 people, including around 150,000 farmers connected to the sector. Should illegal imports be eliminated, direct tax contributions, currently around NPR 2 billion, are expected to rise to NPR 3 billion, alongside the creation of over 5,000 new jobs.

Recalling previous periods when similar enforcement measures led to increased biscuit demand and the reopening of closed factories, the association has urged the government to make this policy sustainable and long-term rather than temporary. Additionally, the association warmly welcomed the government’s new rule mandating the mandatory display of maximum retail prices and the issuance of official bills for all imported goods distributed across Nepal.

“First preference must be given to Nepali products,” the association appealed to both consumers and traders. It requested retail merchants to cultivate a culture of stocking domestic goods first before legally importing and selling products after paying taxes. “Buying Nepali products is not merely a transaction; it is a step to safeguard employment, support farmers, sustain industries, and promote national self-reliance,” the statement concluded.