Central Bureaue of Statistics (CBS) on Wednesday January 26 2021, reveals Preliminary results of Population Census 2021 held on November 2021. As per the results Nepal’s population reaches 29192480. Out of which, Male population counts 14291311 and Female 14901169. Nepal’s population was 26494504 as of the Census 2011.

As per CBS the population growth rate of Nepal has decreased from 1.35 during last census to 0.93 percent. Current population growth rate is recorded lowest in the last 80 years says CBS. Kathmandu, Pokhara, Lalitpur, Bharatpur and Birgunj Metropolitan cities top five urban centers with highest population respectively. Kathmandu metrocity counts 865906, the highest and Thulibheri of Dolpa district counts the lowest municipality with a population of 10187. Besides Thulibheri lowest 5 municipalities with least population are Tripurasundari of Dolpa, Madi of Sankhuwasabha, Laligurans of Terhathum and Jiri of Dolakha district.

There are 14 municipalities with population less than 20000. Similarly, 39 municipalities have population more than one lakh. 46 rural municipalities have population less than 10000. While, 15 rural municipalities have population more than 50000.

Baijnathpur of Banke district counts rural municipality with highest population of 70315. While, Narphabhumi rural municipality of Manang district counts lowest rural municipality with population 442.

Nepal’s Paddy production is expected to drop by 8.74 percent in the current fiscal year says Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development. According to a press release by the Ministry Nepal’s paddy production will limit to 5.13 million tonnes in the fiscal year 2078/79. As per the report released by the ministry Sudurpashchim Province faces highest loss in production by 31.49 percent followed by Lumbini Province with a fall of 18.38 percentage. Similarly, Karnali faces a fall of 8.76 percentage, Province 2 will face a fall of paddy production by 3.24 percentage. Province 1 and Bagmati province paddy production is expected to fall by 0.93 and 0.35 percent. Only Gandaki province shows a good sign of increase in production of Paddy by 2.33 percentage.

Looking into the previous five years paddy production data paddy harvest will be the lowest in this fiscal year. In the last fiscal year 2077/78 Paddy production was highest in last five years; 5.61 million tonnes. According to experts decrease in paddy production in the current fiscal year is due to unseasonal heavy rain in the month of October.

On the occasion of 17^th national coffee day, National tea and coffee development board (NTCDB), the government agency for the development of tea and coffee sector, made a press meet.

As per the NTCDB press release, Nepal faces a decrease in coffee import in the fiscal year 2077/78 BS. According to NTCDB Nepal has imported 266.17 MT coffee in 2076/77 BS with a value of 118.849 million Rupees. Whereas it has decreased to 198.76 MT in 2077/78 with a value of 106.721 million Rupees. In the meantime, Nepal’s coffee export has increased to 72.48 MT (2077/78). Export value of the coffee exported to various countries total 96 million rupees.

Coffee plantation in Nepal is increasing year by year. In fiscal year 2077/78 it reached 3053 Ha producing 314.5 MT of coffee. Plantation area in 2076/77 was 2360 Ha producing 296.5 MT of coffee.

From production to drying coffee faces various steps. Coffee price varies for fresh cherry from the farm to parchment and dried cherry. Fresh coffee cherry and parchment are categorized as A and B grade. Price for the A grade and B grade coffee vary with their quality. NTCDB through its press release has announced the minimum price of the coffee by category. According to NTCDB Fresh cherry of grade A will receive 90 rupees per kg whereas grade B will receive only 80 rupees. Similarly, Parchment of grade A will receive a minimum of rupees 450 whereas grade B will receive 397 for the fiscal year 2077/78. In a similar way dried cherry of grade, A will receive 148 rupees per kg as minimum price. Similarly grade B will receive 95 rupees. This minimum price of coffee is similar to the last fiscal year.

According to NTCDB, Bagmati province is the highest producer of coffee, i.e., 116.1 MT in the fiscal year 2077/78. Bagmati is followed by Gandaki province with 76.3 MT. As per the data produced by NTCDB Gandaki province has the highest plantation area (909 ha) and highest number of coffee farmers (12895). Province 2 is still virgin to coffee production and plantation.

Federal government presented a budget of Rs. 1647.57 billion for fiscal year 2078/79, through ordinance. Similarly, all the seven Provinces unveiled Budget for fiscal year 2078/79 on 15th June, Tuesday. Local government’s are also presenting budget for the new fiscal year. Table below will show the update of the budget presented by various local governments. 

Data source: Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration

All the seven Provinces unveiled Budget for fiscal year 2078/79 on 15th June, Tuesday. Health sector is highly prioritized in all Provincial budget. 

Province 1 Minister for Economic Affairs and Planning unveiled a budget of 32.46 billion Rupees for the next fiscal year. Budget allocates 3.25 billion to health sector and 1.19 billion to education sector. 

Province 2 government has presented a budget of 33.79 billion Rupees for fiscal year 2078/79. Presenting the budget, provincial Minister for Economic Affairs and Planning Vijay Yadav said- Province 2 government had allocated Rs200 million for the purchase of essential medicines, kits and other health items for corona prevention and control.

Bagmati Province government has unveiled 57.72 billion Rupees budget for the coming fiscal year 2078/79. The province has allocated Rs2 billion for the vaccination programme. The province has allocated Rs2 billion for loan disbursement in coordination with banks and financial institutions to generate employment and encourage production. 

Gandaki Province has unveiled a budget of 30.03 billion Rupees for the fiscal year 2078/79. Budget allocated for the next fiscal year is 4 billion less than the current fiscal year. Funds to prepare a detailed study report to construct a 500-bed teaching hospital with 350-bed general ward, 50-bed kidney ward, 50-bed heart ward and 50-bed cancer ward is allocated in the budget. Similarly, the province has allocated funds to provide Rs6,000 as encouragement bonus to health professionals through the district health offices annually in the budget. 

Provincial Minister for Economic Affairs and Planning of Lumbini Province Baijnath Chaudhary released the budget of Rs40.95 billion for the fiscal year 2078/79. 

Karnali Province unveiled a budget of Rs36.54 billion for the coming fiscal year. Provincial Minister for Economic Affairs and Planning Gopal Sharma presenting the budget said that he had given priority for the supply of essential medicines, health materials and equipment, storage of essential food items, food security and job creation to keep Karnali safe from epidemics including Covid-19. A budget of Rs540 million is allocated for the testing and treatment of Covid-19.

Provincial Minister for Economic Affairs and Planning Prakash Bahadur Shah of Sudurpaschim Province has announced a budget of Rs30.33 billion for the fiscal year 2078/79.