Kathmandu: The Government of Nepal has officially approved 111 countries for institutional foreign employment for Nepali workers, as per data up to Falgun (mid-February) of the fiscal year 2024/25.



Despite this formal approval, a significant number of Nepali workers continue to reach unapproved destinations through informal or illegal channels. Authorities have raised concerns that unauthorized agents are actively luring job seekers to these risky locations, suggesting the actual number of destination countries may be higher than reported.



According to the latest Economic Survey released by the Ministry of Finance, 1,670 manpower agencies have been licensed to facilitate foreign employment. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) remains the most popular destination for Nepali migrant workers.



By Falgun, 317,063 individuals had received new labor approvals—of which 93.3% were men and 6.7% were women. When including renewals, the total number of labor approvals rose to 534,471. During the same period, South Korea received 7,509 workers under the EPS (Employment Permit System).



However, foreign employment continues to come with severe risks. Between Shrawan and Falgun (mid-July to mid-March), 974 Nepali workers—922 men and 52 women—died while working abroad. The government provided over Rs 656.7 million in compensation to the families of the deceased. Additionally, 336 workers (317 men and 19 women) were reported injured or seriously ill, with Rs 147.4 million provided in support.



To improve safety and awareness, the government is implementing a Safe Migration Program, now in its fourth phase, across 267 local units in 68 districts. As of mid-March 2025, more than 454,000 people have received services through the program.

111 countries open for Nepali migrant workers, but unsafe routes persist

Sevilla (Spain): The 4th International Conference on Financing for Development opened today at the Fabius Exhibition Centre in Sevilla, Spain.



The summit is being attended by heads of state and head of the government, including Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. The opening session was addressed by King Philip II of Spain, President of the Government of Spain (Prime Minister) Pedro Sanchez, Secretary-General of the United Nations António Guterres.



Prime Minister Oli is accompanied by Chief Adviser to the Prime Minister Bishnu Prasad Rimal, Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Amrit Bahadur Rai, Permanent Representative of Nepal to the United Nations Lok Bahadur Thapa, and Chief of the Protocol at the MoFA Kumar Raj Kharel.



The visit from Prime Minister Oli made at the friendly invitation of UN Secretary-General Guterres and Spanish Prime Minister Sanchez for the International Conference on Financing for Development of the United Nations (FfD-4).



The Conference on Financing for Development brings together leaders of all world governments, global and regional organizations, financial and business institutions, business leaders, civil society and relevant representatives of the UN system. Nepal will advocate in the conference by leading the voices of the least developed, small and island countries.



The conference will also discuss the implementation of investment commitments made by rich countries to poor and small countries.



It will be an important platform for promoting international cooperation for the UN Sustainable Development Goals to be achieved by 2030. The summit will focus on the challenges of immediate and long-term cooperation and investment for sustainable development while improving the global financial architecture.



It will discuss and draw conclusions on issues including sustainable development, finance for development, and in particular development assistance, investment, and technology transfer.

4th International Conference on Financing for Development begins in Spain

Kathmandu: A new mobile application aimed at supporting Nepali migrant workers has been launched with financial and technical support from the Government of the Republic of Korea. The app, named Hami (Happy Migration), was officially inaugurated in Lalitpur on Wednesday in the presence of high-level officials and stakeholders.



The application is designed to provide simplified and accessible employment-related information for Nepali workers going abroad, particularly to Korea. It includes features such as skill development tips, financial planning tools, and mental health resources, and is available in both Nepali and English.



Nepal’s Minister for Labour, Employment and Social Security, Sharad Singh Bhandari, who attended the launch as chief guest, said the initiative would contribute to safer, more dignified labor migration. “The government is committed to ensuring transparency in the labor market and promoting digital solutions for better policy-making,” he stated.



The app will be operated in coordination with the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security. According to the Korean Embassy in Kathmandu, Hami is part of Korea’s broader strategy to safeguard the rights and welfare of Nepali migrant workers throughout their migration journey—before departure, during employment, and after return.



Korean Ambassador to Nepal Park Tae-young, speaking at the event, emphasized the app’s role in providing timely, reliable, and tailored information to workers. He also highlighted the contributions of returnee migrant workers to Nepal’s economy through entrepreneurship.



“The deepening friendship between Nepal and Korea is strengthened by the experiences and efforts of these workers,” said Ambassador Park. He also introduced the newly published book “You Can Be an Entrepreneur Too”, which showcases the journeys of 50 Nepali returnees who started successful businesses after returning from Korea.



The event also featured a special session on sustainable reintegration of returnee migrant workers, where experts presented policy recommendations and shared best practices.



The launch program saw participation from officials of both governments, KOICA Nepal, former migrant workers, labor rights organizations, and the media.

Mobile app ‘Hami’ launched to support Nepali migrant workers

Kathmandu: The Special Court has granted bail of Rs 3.5 million to former Prime Minister and CPN (Unified Socialist) Chairman Madhav Kumar Nepal in connection with the high-profile Patanjali land scam case.



Nepal appeared before the court on Wednesday as arguments were heard regarding his alleged involvement in the illegal registration of public land. The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) had filed a corruption case on June 5 against Nepal and 93 others for their roles in a controversial land deal in Kavre during his tenure as Prime Minister in 2009.



The CIAA has demanded fines and punishment equivalent to Rs 185.85 million, citing state losses caused by the transaction. The land in question, which was under land ceiling exemption, had been registered in the name of Patanjali Yogpeeth and Ayurvedic Company Nepal.



Following the corruption charges, Nepal was automatically suspended from his position as a lawmaker under existing legal provisions.



Meanwhile, the CPN (Unified Socialist) has scheduled a Secretariat meeting for June 27 to discuss the political and legal fallout of the case, which has sent ripples across the party and national politics.

Special Court grants Rs 3.5 million bail to former PM Madhav Kumar Nepal in Patanjali land scam

Kathmandu: Increased monsoon rainfall has dramatically boosted river flows, allowing Nepal to export as much as 700 megawatts of electricity daily to India, the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) said.



With internal power generation soaring to around 2,700 megawatts, Nepal is producing significantly more electricity than it currently consumes. Peak domestic demand hovers around 2,000 megawatts, dropping to approximately 1,800 megawatts during off-peak hours.



Taking advantage of this surplus, the NEA is not only meeting local industrial demand but also exporting electricity to neighboring countries. In addition to India, 40 megawatts of power are now being supplied to Bangladesh, a major step forward in Nepal’s regional energy trade ambitions.



“This is the highest volume of electricity we’ve been able to export in a day,” NEA officials confirmed, noting that between 650 to 700 megawatts are being sent to India on a daily basis.



During the dry season, the NEA often struggles to meet demand due to reduced hydropower output, occasionally resorting to unannounced load shedding in industrial zones, even with imports from India. In contrast, the monsoon season consistently brings a power surplus, which Nepal has sold to India for the past few years.



Nepal began exporting electricity to Bangladesh in Mangsir (November/December) last year, though the sale lasted only a day at that time. The current supply marks the country’s first sustained export to the Bangladeshi grid.



The NEA’s growing ability to export electricity underscores Nepal’s emerging role as a regional energy player, particularly during the monsoon months when its hydropower potential is fully realized.

Nepal exports record 700 MW of electricity to India amid monsoon surge

Kathmandu: In a bid to deepen cross-border tourism cooperation, the Embassy of Nepal in Bangladesh and the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) jointly organized the 'Nepal-Bangladesh Tourism Meet' in Dhaka on Friday evening under the theme Neighbourly Nepal: Land of Lifetime Experiences.



Addressing the gathering, Nepal’s Ambassador to Bangladesh Ghanshyam Bhandari highlighted Nepal’s growing popularity among Bangladeshi tourists, citing its unique combination of natural beauty, cultural diversity, and adventure tourism. Calling tourism a bridge of friendship, he urged entrepreneurs from both nations to strengthen business-to-business ties and foster deeper people-to-people connections.



Officiating NTB Director Rohini Prasad Khanal delivered a detailed presentation on Nepal’s wide-ranging tourism offerings — from adventure activities like trekking, mountaineering, paragliding, and bungee jumping to peaceful experiences such as spiritual retreats and wellness escapes. He also promoted emerging sectors such as medical tourism, encouraging Bangladeshi visitors to experience Nepal in a way that creates lasting memories.



AKM Moniruzzaman, Joint Secretary at Bangladesh’s Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism, emphasized the potential of developing joint tourism packages to position Nepal and Bangladesh as complementary destinations for regional and global tourists.



In her welcome remarks, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Nepali Embassy, Lalita Silwal, reaffirmed Nepal’s commitment to unlocking the full potential of tourism collaboration with Bangladesh.



The event also featured a motivational account by Bangladeshi mountaineer Ikramul Hassan Shakil, who recently completed a 1,372-kilometer ‘Sea to Summit’ expedition culminating in his successful ascent of Mt. Everest on May 19, 2025.



Other speakers included President of the Association of Travel Agents of Bangladesh (ATAB) Abdus Salam Aref and Chairman of the Asian Tourism Fair Mohiuddin Helal.



The program was attended by over 150 participants, including government officials, tour operators, airline representatives, hoteliers, and other tourism stakeholders from both nations.



Nepali cultural performances added a festive touch, while a raffle draw featured round-trip tickets for the Dhaka–Kathmandu route and holiday packages sponsored by Himalaya Airlines, Biman Bangladesh Airlines, and Nepali tour operators.



Earlier in the day, B2B and networking sessions were held between tour and travel professionals from Nepal and Bangladesh. The Nepali delegation included NTB officials and representatives from 13 travel companies.

Nepal-Bangladesh tourism meet held in Dhaka to boost bilateral travel ties

Kathmandu: Member of the National Planning Commission, Dr Prakash Shrestha has underlined the need of policy-level reforms for agro modernization and commercialization. At an interaction organized here today by the Nepal Forum of Economic Journalists, he emphasized on the policy improvements to boost agriculture yields and take the country to economic development. The government should mechanize subsidy and concession to the farmers based on the production, he said. The agriculture, tourism, infrastructure and industry sectors create employment opportunities for youths, he said, adding that the commercial banks need to flow investment based on regional specialization for capital management. Dr Shrestha clarified that the policy of excluding projects costing below Rs 30 million has been adopted to shun distributive budget. Chief Executive Officer of Nabil Bank, Manoj Gywali highlighted the crucial role of banks and financial institutions for capital collection and investment expansion. He stressed that the banks should be attentive of collateral security while flowing the money deposited by the general public as the loan.

Policy-level reforms stressed for agro modernization

Kathmandu: The Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security has decided to write to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs requesting it to direct Nepal’s diplomatic missions to take necessary measures for ensuring the safety of Nepali workers in Israel and Iran.



This move comes in response to the ongoing conflict between the two countries and aims to mitigate potential risks to Nepali citizens residing or working in the affected regions.



A meeting of the concerned stakeholders held under the convenorship of Secretary Krishna Hari Pushkar, also decided to collect regular updates on the status of Nepali nationals in Israel, Iran, and neighbouring affected areas through diplomatic channels.



In line with the meeting's decisions, the Ministry will provide counseling and up-to-date travel information to address the safety needs of Nepalis engaged in foreign employment.



The Ministry has been tasked with staying on standby to carry out relief, rescue, and safe repatriation operations for Nepalis in Israel, Iran, and other affected areas, as required. If necessary, the Ministry will coordinate with third countries for transit arrangements during repatriation efforts.



Furthermore, the meeting has recommended mobilizing the Labour Migration and Foreign Employment Resolution Taskforce, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as an emergency response team to support these efforts.



It has been decided to request the relevant authorities to take necessary initiatives for the security and assistance of Nepali citizens in the respective countries through security diplomacy, and to the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation to arrange for a waiver of additional fees that may be incurred in the case of transferring air tickets for Nepalis going for foreign employment to Israel, Iran, and affected neighboring countries.



Secretary Pushkar said the meeting instructed the bodies concerned to prepare the statistics of Nepali citizens currently in foreign employment in Israel, Iran, and other affected neighbouring countries by obtaining labour approval.



The meeting has directed the Department of Foreign Employment, the Foreign Employment Board, and the Social Security Fund to prepare for the expansion of ‘virtual’ and ‘telemedicine’ services to provide mental health counseling services to and the immediate rescue of Nepali citizens in Israel, Iran, and the affected neighbouring countries.



The Ministry has requested for taking necessary precautions as per the notice issued by the relevant country and the Government of Nepal.



Attendees in the meeting included the secretary of the relevant parliamentary committee and the representatives from the Office of the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Departments of Immigration and Foreign Employment, and representatives from umbrella organizations in the private sector.



Source: RSS

Labour and Employment Ministry concerned over safety of Nepalis in Iran, Israel

Kathmandu: The Government of Nepal has filed a lawsuit demanding over Rs 1.36 billion from Nepal Can Move Pvt Ltd and its operators, accusing them of large-scale tax evasion through concealed sales and undeclared income.



The Department of Revenue Investigation (DoRI) registered the case at the High Court on Sunday, charging Nepal Can Move Pvt Ltd, Nepal Can Group Pvt Ltd, and seven individuals, including key shareholders and company officials, of evading value-added tax (VAT) and income tax.



According to the DoRI, the company concealed significant portions of its income by bypassing Nepal’s tax system, conducting sales through an online portal with a server based in Australia. The department alleges that the accused deliberately kept the server overseas to avoid scrutiny by Nepal’s tax administration.



The accused individuals include major shareholder Sudip Acharya (55.33% shares), Jiwan Gyawali (16%), along with Ganga Bahadur Thapa, Manish Prasad Acharya, Mithu Paudel, Sangam Paudel (Deputy Executive Director), and others. Acharya and Gyawali, identified as the key figures behind the operations, reportedly failed to appear despite multiple summons and are currently absconding.



The DoRI has demanded Rs 684.4 million in unpaid taxes and an additional Rs 684.4 million in penalties, totaling Rs 1.368 billion.



Investigations revealed that the company engaged in manual billing to manipulate sales records and avoid tax obligations. The transactions were not reported to the Inland Revenue Department, violating provisions under the Revenue Leakage (Investigation and Control) Act, 2052 BS.



The DoRI said it confiscated key digital and financial documents, including the company’s trial balance records from fiscal year 2019/20 to mid-March of the current fiscal year 2025/26, further substantiating the claims.



The case is seen as part of a broader government crackdown on financial crimes and tax evasion.

Government files Rs 1.36 billion tax evasion lawsuit against 'Nepal Can Move'

Kathmandu: The Federation of Nepal Gold Silver Gem and Jewelry Associations has urged the government to review the decision to impose Value Added Tax (VAT) on diamond and gems, and luxury tax on gold.



At a news conference today, the Federation feared that such taxes could impact the business too, while some of the businesses could even be forced to shut down.



The government has announced to impose VAT on diamond and precious stones, and two percent luxury tax on gold items.



Federation Chair Sumanman Tamrakar argued that the new provision of VAT and tax could not only impact 25,000 businesspeople with Rs 350 billion of investment but also the craftsmen and their dependents.



The Federation has claimed that the business contributes some Rs 20 billion in revenue collection annually.

Call to review VAT, luxury tax on diamond, gems jewelries and gold

Kathmandu: A case has been formally registered against Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) Chairman and former Deputy Prime Minister Rabi Lamichhane at the District Court in Parsa, on charges of misappropriating funds from the Sano Paila Cooperative.



Lamichhane is currently under police remand at Bhairahawa jail in connection with the high-profile Supreme Cooperative fraud case, which originated in Rupandehi district. The latest case accuses him of embezzling Rs 57.4 million from depositors' savings in the Sano Paila Cooperative.



Altogether, 29 individuals, including Lamichhane, have been named as defendants in the case. Authorities claim that the group misappropriated a total of Rs 1.32 billion from the cooperative. The Sano Paila Cooperative was operated by GB Rai, a key suspect in the nationwide cooperative fraud scandal who is currently on the run. The cooperative reportedly had around 800 depositors.



According to the police investigation report, submitted to the District Government Attorney’s Office on April 27, significant portions of the siphoned funds were transferred to companies affiliated with Rai. This includes Rs 13.7 million to Nature Hub International, Rs 18.5 million to Nature Nest Pvt. Ltd., and Rs 10.1 million to SpringWood Real Estate.



Despite the report being ready in April, the case registration process was delayed. The new filing in Parsa adds to Lamichhane’s mounting legal troubles as investigations into large-scale cooperative fraud continue across the country.

Case filed against RSP Chairman Rabi Lamichhane in Parsa over cooperative fund misuse

Kathmandu: Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has resumed the export of electricity to Bangladesh, sending 40 megawatts of power through India's transmission line starting today.



Nepal had exported electricity to Bangladesh for the first time on July 15, 2024, but it lasted only 12 hours. The export has now resumed after nearly a year, following a tripartite agreement signed last year between NEA, Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB), and India’s NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam Limited (NVVN).



According to Subarna Sapkota, Deputy Manager of NEA’s Electricity System Control Department, Nepal will export a total of 146.88 million units of electricity over the next five months—until November 15. The government is expected to earn Rs 1.29 billion from the deal, with the electricity being sold at 6.40 US cents per unit. The power will be transmitted from Nepal’s 400 kV Dhalkebar Substation via India’s Muzaffarpur and Berhampur to reach the Bheramara Substation in Bangladesh.



Meanwhile, Nepal has continued electricity exports to India. NEA had been supplying 185 MW of power to India since June 1, which has now increased to 200 MW from Saturday. Under the bilateral agreement between Nepal and India, the electricity is sold at a rate of 5.25 Indian rupees per unit.



Additionally, NEA has started exporting 80 MW of electricity to the Indian state of Bihar since midnight. Nepal is also actively engaged in electricity trading in the Indian market through the 400 kV and 132 kV Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur transmission lines.



With the onset of the monsoon season, Nepal’s hydropower generation has surged, allowing it to export surplus electricity to both India and Bangladesh.



Source: RSS

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