Environment

The report says that government estimates also tout India as a global economic powerhouse – leading in real-time digital transactions globally, improved in ease of doing business, and projected as the fastest-growing major economy.

Agroforestry, which integrates trees into farming systems, has been consistently championed by the government as a multi-faceted solution to national priorities. These include doubling farmers' income, increasing tree cover outside traditional forest areas, mitigating climate change, reducing timber imports, and ensuring sustainable land management.

Though Nepal has introduced climate budget tagging to track climate-related public spending, gaps remain in strategy, transparency, and alignment with national climate goals.

Meanwhile, UNHCR alongside partners is working to address the urgent needs of those arriving – food, water, shelter, protection. However its programmes are also under severe strain due to limited funding.

Since the military coup in February 2021, nearly 6,800 civilians have been killed and over 22,000 remain arbitrarily detained, he said. Humanitarian needs have soared, with nearly 22 million people in need of assistance and more than 3.5 million displaced by conflict.

The Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) confirmed it transferred a record $437 million in June to settle mounting arrears with Adani Power Jharkhand Ltd (APJL), the Indian firm operating the 1,496-megawatt Godda Ultra Supercritical Thermal Power Plant in Jharkhand.

Formalized under the ICA-EU Financial Framework Partnership Agreement Phase 2, the MoU reflects a shared commitment to elevating smallholder farmers—especially women and youth—as stewards of agricultural transformation.

President Paudel expressed concern over Nepal’s increasing reliance on imported rice and paddy. He underscored the importance of adopting climate-smart technologies and making use of domestic human resources to foster self-reliance in agriculture.