Spearheaded by the Ministry of Infrastructure Development, this bill aims to replace the outdated Building Act of 2055, claiming it will materialize the fundamental right to housing guaranteed by the constitution. What exactly is this plan to provide secure, organized, and earthquake-resistant "Smart Homes" through subsidized loans and installments? Let's examine the financial terms and detailed facts.

1. A Home for 11,000 Monthly: The Math of Down Payment and Installments

According to the conceptual plan presented with the bill, five specific options are proposed based on a citizen's financial capacity, all based on a 15-year (180-month) repayment cycle. The proposed installment table is as follows:

2. What Will the Proposed "Smart Homes" Be Like?

The houses constructed under this bill's concept will not merely be structures of brick and cement. They are designed to fall within the standards of modern integrated settlement development and urban planning:

• Plinth Area: The house area will range from 900 to 1,300 square feet, considered sufficient for a typical family of 4 to 6 members.
• Estimated Construction Cost: The cost per house is designed to range from NPR 20 Lakh to 75 Lakh.
• Earthquake-Resistant Structure: Safe and disaster-resilient structures will be built under technical supervision in accordance with the National Building Code (NBC).
• Community Amenities: The proposed Integrated Settlement model includes sewerage, drinking water, solar energy or electrical infrastructure, and access roads.

3. What Facilities Are Available for the Poor and First-Time Homebuilders?

Beyond subsidized loans, the bill incorporates relief provisions targeting marginalized, poor, and disaster-prone families:

4. The Reality Check: 3 Key Facts Citizens Must Understand

As this news spreads across social media, many are under the illusion that "application forms are available starting tomorrow." It is crucial to understand the legal realities:

1. It is not yet an Act; it is only a 'Bill': The government has registered the draft in the Parliament Secretariat. It must be passed by both the House of Representatives and the National Assembly, and receive presidential authentication before it becomes law.
2. The specific installment details are Ministry concepts: The core sections of the Bill grant policy authority for subsidized loans and grants. The dynamic installment plan ranging from NPR 11,000 to 35,000 was announced as something the Ministry would implement through separate procedures (Regulation/Procedure) once the Bill passes.
3. Land ownership and location details remain unclear: Will these houses be built on government land under an apartment/community model, or will they be built on the citizen's own land? How much interest subsidy will the government provide? These technical details will only be finalized after procedures are drafted.

Every year during the major festive season—most notably Dashain and Tihar—the topic of annual festival allowances (चाडबाड खर्च) takes center stage across Nepal’s employment sector. For hundreds of thousands of formal and informal workers, this single payment is essential for meeting annual travel expenses, ceremonial requirements, and rising household inflation.

Legally, the framework is explicit: The Labour Act 2074 (2017) leaves zero ambiguity regarding employer obligations. Yet, in practice, a gaping chasm divides statutory guarantees from ground reality. When the issue is raised in public forums, the reaction from Nepali employees is not celebration—it is frustration and skepticism.

1. What Does Section 37 of Nepal’s Labour Act 2074 Mandate?

The legal entitlement is defined under Chapter 6, Section 37 of the Labour Act, 2074:

• Full Entitlement: Every permanent, fixed-term, or regular employee who has completed one full year of continuous service is entitled to an amount equal to one month's basic remuneration as a festival allowance each fiscal year.
• Prorated Calculation for Partial Year: If an employee has worked for less than one complete year before the festival disbursement date, they are entitled to allowance calculated proportionally based on their service length:
  Prorated Allowance = (Basic Salary / 12) × Number of Months Served
• Designation of Festival: While commonly disbursed ahead of Dashain (the largest national festival), employees have the legal liberty to select an alternative primary religious/cultural festival (such as Eid, Lhosar, Chhath, or Christmas) based on their personal religious practice.
• Basic Salary vs Gross Salary Distinction: The law specifically calculates the allowance on Basic Remuneration, not gross total compensation (excluding allowances such as dear allowance, transport, or house rent).

2. The Voice of the Workforce: "Rules Exist Only on Paper"

A recent cross-section of employee feedback across professional and social networks highlights a shared sentiment: the law is progressive, but compliance is severely broken. Real worker reactions reveal the practical bottlenecks they experience daily:

3. The Legal Blindspot: Why Interns Are Left Out

A major criticism of the current statutory framework is the treatment of interns (प्रशिक्षार्थी). Under Section 16 of the Labour Act, interns who join an entity strictly for educational curricula or vocational training are not classified as standard employees.

• No Mandatory Festival Allowance: Because internships are treated as learning arrangements rather than contractual employment, entities have zero legal obligation to grant Section 37 allowances to interns.
• Exploitation of Trainees: Many private institutions operate regular daily workflows using continuous cycles of unpaid or low-stipend interns, denying them both standard wages and festival benefits.
• Trainees vs Interns: Unlike educational interns, individuals registered under formal Traineeship (दफा १७) are entitled to minimum wage and statutory benefits once taken on for regular institutional output.

4. What Recourse Do Deprived Employees Have?

If your employer has withheld your festival allowance without reasonable or legal grounds, the Labour Act offers clear dispute resolution pathways:

1. Internal Labour Relations Committee: Raise the collective or individual grievance before the workplace's internal committee mandated under Section 111.
2. Filing with the Labour Office (श्रम तथा व्यवसायजन्य सुरक्षा विभाग): If the establishment does not resolve the issue within 15 days, employees can file a formal complaint before their provincial or local Labour and Occupational Safety Office under Section 113.
3. Demanding Banking Evidence: The law mandates payments be disbursed via formal banking channels. Inquiries into corporate banking transaction logs provide transparent proof of payment or evasion.

Image Reference: The updated Rs. 1,000 banknote (B294) introduced by Nepal Rastra Bank.

Nepal’s central monetary authority, Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB), has officially brought a newly redesigned Rs. 1,000 banknote (Series 2025 / B.S. 2082) into nationwide circulation. Cataloged in numismatic records as B294, this updated high-denomination bill introduces refined security features, subtle botanical alterations, and the signature of Governor Prof. Dr. Biswo Nath Poudel.

As commercial fraud evolves and paper money experiences standard wear-and-tear, central banks periodically upgrade physical security profiles. Whether you manage everyday retail cash flow, handle bank deposits, or track South Asian monetary trends, here is a complete breakdown of the changes in this newly circulated currency.

Key Specifications at a Glance

Visual & Architectural Design Elements

While retaining the core identity of Nepal's paper currency, the Series 2025 update introduces distinct artistic and structural modifications on both the obverse and reverse faces:

Front (Obverse Face)

• Mount Everest: Remains prominent on the left section, framing the sovereign identity of the nation.
• Embossed Goddess Oval (Bhagwati): Positioned directly right of Everest, an optically variable oval emblem depicts Goddess Bhagwati. It presents a dynamic color-shift from gold to emerald green when viewed at alternating angles.
• Lhaun Chowk Stone Pillar: The right edge features the historic stone column from Hanuman Dhoka's Lhaun Chowk alongside clean Latin script reading "RUPEES ONE THOUSAND".
• Promissory Guarantee: Retains the standard legal tender declaration backed unconditionally by the Government of Nepal.

Back (Reverse Face)

• Twin Asian Elephants (Ram & Laxman): Anchoring the center vignette are the iconic twin elephants born at the Chitwan National Park elephant breeding center.
• Botanical Framing: New azalea and rhododendron floral scrollwork borders encircle the watermark aperture, giving the reverse side a sharper visual contrast.
• Bank Logo & Value: Prominently displays the Nepal Rastra Bank emblem in the top left, alongside the denomination printed in Western numerals.

Advanced Anti-Counterfeiting Architecture

The primary technical driver of the B294 revision is fraud deterrence. Commercial businesses, cash collectors, and citizens can verify genuine bills using these built-in security layers:

1. 3.5 mm Motion Color-Shift Thread: A windowed security thread woven vertically through the center. Under direct light, it appears deep red; when tilted, it flips to vivid green with shifting directional highlights, revealing micro-text reading "NRB" and "1000".
2. See-Through Registration Symbol: Incomplete segments of the numeric "1000" printed on the front and back align seamlessly into a complete numeral when inspected against backlighting.
3. Rhododendron Multi-Tone Watermark: Nepal's national flower (Lali Gurans) alongside the vertical value "1000" emerges crisply with graded tonal contrast under transmitted light.
4. Intaglio Tactile Assist for the Visually Impaired: Includes a deeply embossed Roman letter "M" at the lower-right margin, along with 10 raised angular tactile slits placed alongside Mount Everest on the left and the watermark perimeter on the right.

What This Means for Daily Transactions & Banking

• Legacy Notes Remain Legal Tender: Older Rs. 1,000 notes bearing the signatures of former governors (such as Maha Prasad Adhikari or Dr. Chiranjibi Nepal) remain completely valid. NRB retires worn notes gradually through standard banking deposits.
• Cash Sorters & ATM Calibration: Commercial banks, remittance operators, and automated cash counting counters will calibrate optical sensors to account for the updated thickness and security thread profiles.
• Note Handling Etiquette: Nepal Rastra Bank continues to emphasize clean currency preservation under the Clean Note Policy. Refrain from stapling, writing upon, or pinning currency bills to maximize their service lifecycle.

How Important are KPIs and Standard Sales Procedure in Sales?

Some of the common KPIs that are applicable and practiced in sales are mentioned below:

a. Sales Revenue Growth
It measures the percentage increase in revenue over a set period. (comparison with last year and this year)

b. Underlying Volume Growth (UVG)
It is a performance metric measuring the change in the physical quantity of the products sold, excluding impacts from price increase over a set period.

c. Activation Plan
Setting activation plan such as a marketing campaign, customer meets or any other events in current business year provides a quantitative measure of performances over last year.

d. Distribution Expansion
It may be appointment of new dealers, new retailers or penetrating a new market in comparison with last business year which is quantify by numbers. This helps to measure the performance in terms of distribution expansion.

e. Controlling Ageing (<90 days)
It acts as a report to manage cash flow, identify bad debts and monitor customer payment behavior. Ageing is usually in 30 – day buckets (e.g. 0-30, 31 -60, 61-90 + days)

Now the question is why the Standard Sales Procedure and KPIs are important in Sales?

In every business, Sales is the only source of income whether you sell goods or services. Hence, without an everyday practice of Standard Sales Procedure and a set of KPIs it is impossible to achieve the strategic goals and objectives of any organization. Being a sixteen years plus a Sales Practitioner, I have been practicing these all tools to train my teams and have been able to achieve the strategic goals of the management. Hence, I would summarize the benefits of Standard Sales Procedure and KPIs as below:

Improved efficiency and Productivity
Adhering Standard Sales Procedure and KPIs definitely increases work efficiency and improves productivity in the work. Let's discuss what is productivity in Sales and how can it be measured.

Strike Rate
A strike rate in sales is a key performance indicator which can be calculated as:

Total number of bills (order taken) divided by total number of outlets (Opportunities) *100 %.

For example, if 20 outlets are billed out of 30 in one route then the strike rate is 66.67%. Once it is reviewed in a daily basis then productivity can be enhanced by identifying the non-billed outlets with the valid reason.



Line Per Call
Line per call is a key performance metric measuring the number of lines a sales man makes in each invoice. If a sales man takes order from 15 outlets and in total sales 60 SKUs then LPC is 4. High LPC suggests strong range selling while low LPC indicates only a few popular items are sold.

Effectively Covered Outlet (ECO)
ECO is effectively covered outlet; it is a sales metric representing the number of retail outlets that have placed at least one order within a given timeframe usually in a month.

Motivation
When KPIs are measureable and time bound, they provide a clear target that motivates sales representatives once achieved and can be rewarded accordingly.

Identification of Gap
KPIs reveal specific gaps in a sales representative's skills such that a line manager can plan a coaching and training by analyzing it.

Planning
By analyzing the past KPIs, the management can accurately plan for the future. So it will give a pathway to make a proper business plan for next year.

Improved Strategic Goals

Clearly set KPIs help to achieve strategic goals of the management such as market share and bottom line. All the goals and objectives of each functional unit are interlinked with strategic goals of the organization.

This is how Standard Sales Procedure provides a consistent roadmap to sales representatives in a daily basis whereas KPIs acts as a compass to ensure daily actions to be linked with long terms objectives and goals of the organizations and hence these tools are vital for forecasting, smooth operation and performance tracking within an organization.

Disclaimer: This article also appears on High Speed Nepal.com and is published here with the author's permission. The opinions expressed are entirely those of the author.

How to Receive 10% VAT Return via QR & Digital Payments in Nepal: Complete Guide (Budget 2083/84)

In the federal budget for Fiscal Year 2083/84 B.S. (2026/27 A.D.), the Government of Nepal and the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) rolled out a consumer-centric tax reform: an automatic 10% refund on the Value Added Tax (VAT) amount paid during digital transactions.

Finance Minister Dr. Swarnim Wagle announced that consumers who pay for goods and services using digital payment channels—such as Fonepay/NepalPay QR codes, mobile banking apps, digital wallets (eSewa, Khalti, IME Pay), connectIPS, or debit/credit cards—and receive an authorized VAT invoice will automatically receive 10% of the paid VAT credited back.

This detailed guide explains how the digital VAT return works, the exact calculation formulas, business requirements under the Central Billing Monitoring System (CBMS), and how to maximize consumer savings.

1. What is Value Added Tax (VAT) in Nepal?

Value Added Tax (VAT) is an indirect consumption tax levied on the value added to goods and services across each stage of production and distribution in Nepal.

• Standard VAT Rate: Fixed at 13% under the Value Added Tax Act, 2052.

• Included Pricing: In retail settings, standard consumer price tags usually incorporate this 13% tax automatically.

The Problem of Cash Transactions

Historically, widespread reliance on cash transactions enabled informal sales, where some merchants did not issue official tax receipts (Karamukta/Abhijak Bill). This created an unrecorded parallel economy, deprived the state of revenue, and left consumers without legitimate transaction records. The 10% digital VAT refund creates a direct financial incentive for consumers to demand real-time electronic invoices.

2. Key Highlights: The 10% Digital VAT Return Policy

• Scope of Channels: Covers all authorized electronic payment instruments, including static/dynamic QR codes, mobile banking, digital wallets, POS cards, and internet banking.

• Instant Point-of-Sale Rebate vs. Automated Wallet Credit: Depending on the merchant's billing software, the 10% VAT deduction is applied either directly at billing checkout or deposited back into the consumer's bank account/wallet.

• Integrated CBMS Tracking: Transactions sync in real-time with the Inland Revenue Department’s Central Billing Monitoring System (CBMS).

• Complimentary Incentive Scheme: Digital invoices also qualify buyers for government-sponsored Consumer Invoice Incentive Lottery Programs (करदाता प्रोत्साहन उपहार कार्यक्रम).

3. How Much VAT Refund Do You Actually Receive? (The Math)

Crucial Rule: The refund applies only to the 13% VAT portion, not 10% of your total shopping bill.

Because the VAT component represents roughly 11.5% of a VAT-inclusive total price, a 10% return on that VAT amounts to an effective ~1.15% to 1.3% net cashback on the gross transaction.

Mathematical Breakdown Formula

Step-by-Step Practical Calculation Table

While savings on a single cup of coffee appear modest, accumulated annual savings across grocery bills, electronics purchases, hotel stays, and dining yield tangible financial benefits.

4. Step-by-Step: How to Receive Your VAT Return

[ Step 1: Purchase ] ➔ [ Step 2: Digital Payment ] ➔ [ Step 3: Real-Time CBMS Invoice ] ➔ [ Step 4: 10% VAT Credited ]

1. Verify VAT Registration: Confirm that the merchant or retail store is registered under the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) VAT framework (PAN/VAT certificate prominently displayed).

2. Select an Eligible Digital Payment Mode: Inform the cashier you are paying digitally via QR (Fonepay, NepalPay, SmartQR), mobile banking, debit/credit card, or digital wallet.

3. Scan and Authenticate: Scan the dynamic/static merchant QR code or swipe your payment card.

4. Collect the Official Electronic Invoice: Ensure the merchant issues an authorized computer-generated or POS-generated VAT bill containing the IRD fiscal signature/CBMS integration reference.

5. Receive Your Credit: The 10% VAT portion is either immediately discounted on the final payment terminal confirmation or refunded back to your linked payment account.

5. Eligible Payment Methods vs. Ineligible Methods

6. What Businesses and Merchants Must Know

For retail operators, restaurants, hotels, and department stores, compliance with electronic invoicing rules is mandatory:

• CBMS Integration: Businesses exceeding designated annual turnover thresholds must integrate their accounting/POS software directly with the IRD’s Central Billing Monitoring System (CBMS) API.

• Billing Software Updates: Point-of-Sale (POS) and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) tools must be updated to differentiate cash vs. digital payments and accurately reconcile the 10% VAT adjustment without balance sheet errors.

• Level Playing Field: By shifting market behavior toward electronic receipts, registered businesses that follow standard tax guidelines face less unfair competition from informal, unbilled traders.

7. The Consumer Invoice Lottery Program (करदाता प्रोत्साहन उपहार कार्यक्रम)

Beyond the guaranteed 10% VAT cashback, the Government of Nepal operates a Bill Lottery System under the Taxpayer Incentive Scheme Directives 2083.

• How It Works: Every legitimate electronic VAT invoice generated through CBMS-linked terminals enters a periodic national lucky draw.

• Incentive Objective: Modeled after successful receipt lottery programs in jurisdictions like Taiwan, this rewards citizens for enforcing billing accountability across every tier of retail commerce.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Does the 10% refund mean I get 10% off my total purchase amount?

No. The 10% refund applies exclusively to the 13% VAT portion of your bill, which equates to approximately 1.15% to 1.3% of the total bill value.

2. Can I get a VAT refund if I pay using physical cash?

No. The policy strictly requires an electronic transaction (QR, card, mobile banking, wallet) so that the IRD system can track the invoice in real-time.

3. Which sectors commonly support the digital VAT refund?

It is active across VAT-registered department stores, supermarkets, restaurants, hotels, lodges, electronic retail shops, and service providers equipped with CBMS-integrated digital POS billing.

4. What should I do if a VAT-registered merchant refuses to provide an electronic bill?

Consumers can report merchants who refuse to issue official VAT invoices directly to the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) grievance portal or their local Taxpayer Service Office (TSO).

Nepal Monetary Policy FY 2083/84: Key Highlights, Targets, and Economic Analysis

Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has unveiled the Monetary Policy for Fiscal Year 2083/84 (2026/27 A.D.). Marking the 25th monetary policy statement issued since FY 2059/60, the central bank maintains a cautiously flexible policy stance.

This comprehensive policy aims to bolster domestic economic growth, restore private sector confidence, and protect systemic stability while keeping inflation, banking liquidity, and foreign exchange reserves in balanced equilibrium.

Macroeconomic Targets Overview (FY 2083/84)

Core Pillars of the Monetary Policy FY 2083/84

1. Cautiously Flexible Stance for Growth

• Prioritizes low operational financing costs to encourage private sector borrowing.

• Capitalizes on comfortable foreign exchange reserves to spur productive sector investments without triggering runaway inflation.

2. Key Policy Rates and Liquidity Instruments Left Intact

• Policy Rate, SDF Rate, and Bank Rate: All components of the Interest Rate Corridor (IRC) remain unchanged.

• Statutory Requirements: Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR), Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR), and Standing Liquidity Facility (SLF) provisions continue at their existing thresholds.

• Corridor Flexibility: NRB reserves the flexibility to gradually narrow the interest rate corridor if structural liquidity imbalances arise.

3. Forex Reserve Management and Foreign Securities Investment

• Current account and Balance of Payments (BOP) dynamics remain supported by robust remittance inflows, tourism revenue, and service exports.

• To manage excess liquidity arising from foreign currency inflows, NRB will deploy sterilized interventions and encourage commercial banks to invest in foreign government debt securities.

4. Asset Quality, Non-Performing Loans (NPL), and Capital Buffers

• While overall stability metrics remain satisfactory, rising NPLs and stressed capital adequacy ratios across specific banking institutions are placed under direct regulatory scrutiny.

• Targeted policy relief will assist sick industries and viable borrowers under financial distress.

Borrower-Centric Reforms and Credit Directives

Credit Easing and Collateral Reforms

• Personal Guarantees: Introduction of regulatory frameworks to address unlimited liability risks arising from individual credit guarantees.

• Cheque Dishonor & Blacklisting: Streamlined procedures to minimize friction in maintaining access to formal banking channels for minor, operational cheque bounce disputes.

• Share-Backed (Margin) Loans: Institutional limits on share collateral financing will now reflect the core financial health of individual borrowers.

• Green Public Transport: Increased Loan-to-Value (LTV) ratios for large electric vehicles (EVs) deployed in public transportation fleets.

Regulatory Streamlining and Digital Transformation

• Unified Directives Simplification: Priority rewriting of complex directives governing credit flow, interest rates, and consumer protection to reduce overlap.

• Foreign Exchange Circulars: Modernization of the Unified Forex Circular to reduce friction for trading firms and remittance corridors.

• Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Lending Exploration: Launch of formal feasibility studies into structured P2P lending platforms driven by centralized credit scoring metrics.

Strategic Significance

The FY 2083/84 Monetary Policy balances aggressive growth incentives with prudent risk containment. By maintaining standard rates while introducing targeted credit reliefs, modernizing foreign currency management, and lowering regulatory barriers for struggling borrowers, the central bank establishes a predictable, growth-oriented monetary roadmap.