Nepal’s economy enters the second half of 2026 with a mixture of stronger external finances, modest economic growth, large remittance inflows and major investment needs. But the picture has changed sharply since the August Bhotekoshi disaster, which damaged hydropower, roads, businesses and other infrastructure. The government estimates that NPR 723.31 billion will be required for recovery and reconstruction in the flood-hit areas, with infrastructure accounting for roughly three-quarters of the total requirement. At the same time, Nepal Rastra Bank’s latest annual data show remittances of NPR 2.363 trillion in FY2025/26, while the balance of payments recorded a surplus of NPR…
Author: Nepal Monitor
Artificial intelligence is beginning to change how people work in Nepal, but the evidence does not support the idea that AI will suddenly eliminate large numbers of jobs. The jobs facing the greatest pressure are generally those containing repetitive, predictable and digitally processed tasks. Data entry, basic customer support, routine administrative work, some accounting tasks and parts of content or translation work are more exposed than jobs requiring physical activity, interpersonal judgment or responsibility. The World Bank’s analysis of South Asia found that Nepal has the region’s lowest average AI exposure. Across South Asia, around 22% of jobs are classified…
Artificial intelligence is no longer a distant technology for Nepal. In 2026, AI is beginning to change how people work, how students learn, how companies develop software, how government institutions operate and how information moves through Nepali society. The shift has accelerated since Nepal approved its National AI Policy 2082 and established a National Artificial Intelligence Centre under the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology. The government’s wider digital-transformation agenda is also increasingly connecting artificial intelligence with economic development, public services, skills and employment. But Nepal’s AI transition is not happening evenly. Technology companies and skilled professionals are already using…
September 2, 2026 Nepal’s devastating Bhotekoshi River flood has entered a major search, recovery and identification phase, with 1,127 bodies recovered and 4,858 people still reported missing, according to the latest figures from Nepal Police. Authorities say 6,541 people have been rescued from affected areas, while thousands of police personnel remain deployed for search operations, relief distribution, body management and the relocation of families from high-risk areas. The disaster began on August 26 after an ice-and-rock avalanche in the Himalayan region triggered a powerful surge through the Bhotekoshi River system. The resulting flood devastated settlements, roads, border facilities and hydropower…
Nepal’s devastating flash floods have entered a new phase, with rescue teams reaching remote communities, restoring access and continuing searches for people missing after the disaster struck the Himalayan region on August 26. The latest reporting on September 1 puts the death toll in Nepal at 987, while 3,916 people remain missing, according to figures cited by the Associated Press from Nepal’s disaster authorities. At least 11,814 people have been rescued so far. The disaster also continues to affect Nepal’s hydropower sector, where hundreds of workers are believed to have been caught inside damaged or flooded tunnels. The situation remains…
Rescue operations in flood-hit northern Nepal have been temporarily disrupted after a landslide-created lake began overflowing, raising fears of another surge of water downstream as authorities continue searching for hundreds of missing people. The latest development comes two days after a devastating flash flood swept through communities and infrastructure near Nepal’s border with Tibet, leaving at least 469 people dead in Nepal and hundreds more unaccounted for. Reuters reported on Friday that the landslide-created lake had begun overflowing, forcing Nepalese and Chinese rescue workers to temporarily halt operations because of the renewed danger. The lake has grown to more than…
Nepal’s confirmed death toll has risen to 469 after a devastating flash flood and landslide struck the Nepal-China border region on August 26, with rescue teams continuing to search through mud and debris for hundreds of missing people. Rescue operations were continuing across parts of northern Nepal on Friday as emergency workers used heavy machinery, helicopters and search dogs to look for survivors and recover victims from communities devastated by the disaster. The flooding struck the Himalayan border region on Wednesday morning, sending a huge surge of water, rock, ice and mud through river valleys in Nepal and across the…
Several Asian countries strengthened health screening and surveillance measures for travelers arriving from West Bengal, India, after two laboratory-confirmed Nipah virus infections were reported in January 2026. Thailand introduced enhanced screening at international airports for passengers arriving from West Bengal, while authorities in the region increased surveillance and preparedness measures because of the virus’s potential for person-to-person transmission. The West Bengal event involved two healthcare workers from the same private hospital in Barasat, North 24 Parganas. Indian authorities identified and tested 196 contacts linked to the cases, with all contacts testing negative at the time of the January public-health assessment.…
A plane crash killed Ajit Pawar, the deputy chief minister of Maharashtra state in India, the country’s aviation regulator confirmed Wednesday. The aircraft took off from Mumbai, the state capital, and crash-landed at the airport in Baramati, Pawar’s constituency, according to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). Two staff members and two crew members also died in the crash. Officials have not confirmed the cause of the crash. Flightradar24, an online flight tracking service, said the aircraft was making a second approach to Baramati airport when it crashed. The DGCA told The Times of India newspaper that the aircraft,…
KATHMANDU — Nepal’s banks and financial institutions are reporting slow overall credit growth, but personal home loans are rising at a strong pace. According to Nepal Rastra Bank, policy support, higher loan limits, and lower interest rates have pushed home‑loan demand higher in the current fiscal year. While banks hold about NPR 1.2 trillion in idle lendable funds due to weak credit demand, personal housing loans continue to expand. The central bank’s data shows that by mid‑December of fiscal year 2082/83, banks had issued NPR 27.34 billion in personal home loans of up to NPR 20 million. During the same…