In the first 6 months of the current fiscal year (Shrawan-Push), remittances worth Rs 1062.93 billion have entered the country. This is an increase of 39.1 percent compared to the same period last fiscal year. In the first 6 months of last year, remittances had increased by 4.2 percent.

Remittances in US dollars have increased by 32.3 percent to Rs 7.5 billion by the end of last month. Last year, such inflows had increased by 2.7 percent. Remittances in Nepal have been continuously increasing in recent years, mainly due to the increase in the number of Nepalis going for foreign employment, the appreciation of the US dollar exchange rate against the Nepali currency, and the increase in the income of Nepali workers due to the improvement in the economies of other countries.

The monthly data of the Nepal Rastra Bank till the end of the month has shown that Rs 192.62 billion in remittances were received in the month of the month of the last fiscal year. In the month of the month of the last month, Rs 122.44 billion in remittances were received. In terms of monthly terms, the highest ever amount of Rs 201 billion in remittances was received in the country in the month of Asoj.

In the last 6 months, 26,807 people have obtained final labor permits for foreign employment (institutional and individual-new) and 194,733 people have obtained re-labor permits. In the first 6 months of the last fiscal year, 230,439 people obtained final work permits (institutional and individual-new) and 162,628 people obtained re-work permits.

With the increase in remittances, foreign exchange reserves have also continuously set new records, while balance of payments savings and current account savings are also continuously rising. However, they say that there has been no improvement in the obstacles to the economy.

Experts say that the failure to increase credit to the private sector as expected, low capital expenditure and revenue collection also confirm that the problems of the economy have not been resolved. Economist Nar Bahadur Thapa said that although external indicators are continuously strengthening, there has been no improvement in the obstacles/disappointment of the economy. 'Remittances are increasing. Due to this, foreign exchange reserves have also increased significantly. That country was not used for development,' Thapa said, 'This has not been able to remove the long-standing disappointment in the economy and awaken hope.'

However, in recent months, it seems that the price paid by consumers when purchasing in the market (consumer index) has started to increase at a marginal rate. The consumer price inflation rate in the last month was 2.42 percent. In the previous month, such a rate was 5.41 percent. The price inflation rate in the month of December has increased slightly compared to the previous month. Thus, the data shows that the price inflation rate has been increasing marginally for the last few months.

In a sluggish economy, the increase in price inflation is seen as a sign that economic activity is becoming dynamic. However, experts say that the marginal increase in the price inflation rate in Nepal cannot be said to have improved economic activity. Because the credit going to the private sector and capital expenditure have not increased to improve economic activity.

'It cannot be said that economic activity has improved now,' economist Thapa said, 'because government spending has not increased. Credit going to the private sector from banks and financial institutions has not increased. The price increase has been marginally increased due to the 'base year effect'. Not because economic activity is moving.'

Average market price increase of 2.42 percent 

The average price paid by the general consumer when purchasing goods and services in the market (market price) in the last Poush is 2.42 percent. In the Poush of the previous year, such an increase was 5.41 percent. The average price increase in the six months of the fiscal year 2082/83 is 1.70 percent. The average price increase in the same period of the previous year was 4.97 percent.

The price increase in the food and beverage group in the six months of the current fiscal year is negative by 0.09 percent. The price increase in the non-food and service group during that period was 3.81 percent, according to the report of the Nepal Rastra Bank. In the Poush of the previous year, the price increase in these groups was 7.67 percent and 4.19 percent, respectively.

In the last 6 months, the annual point-wise consumer price index of the fruits subgroup under the food and beverage group has increased by 5.20 percent, ghee and oil by 4.96 percent, and non-alcoholic beverages by 3.04 percent, according to the National Bank. Similarly, the annual point-wise consumer price index of the pulses and legumes subgroup has decreased by 5.52 percent, spices by 3.92 percent, and food and food products by 3.70 percent.

The annual point-wise consumer price index of the miscellaneous goods and services subgroup under the non-food and services group has increased by 21.75 percent, education by 7.56 percent, clothing and footwear by 5.29 percent, tobacco products by 4.15 percent, and alcoholic beverages by 3.85 percent. The annual point-wise consumer price index of the insurance and financial services subgroup has decreased by 0.03 percent, according to the National Bank report.

Foreign exchange reserves exceed 32.5 trillion

The country's foreign exchange reserves have reached about 32.5 trillion rupees by mid-December. This is an increase of 21.1 percent compared to mid-December. The total foreign exchange reserves, which were 26.77 trillion 68 billion rupees in December, have increased to 32.42 trillion rupees by December. 'Such reserves in US dollars have reached 22.47 billion rupees by mid-December. This is an increase of 15.2 percent compared to last December,' the National Bank said. 'In mid-December 2082, such reserves were 19.5 billion in US dollars.' The share of Indian currency in the total foreign exchange reserves as of mid-December 2082 is 22.3 percent.

Based on the imports up to 6 months of the fiscal year 2082/83, the Rastra Bank claims that the foreign exchange reserves of the banking sector will be sufficient to cover 21.4 months of goods imports and 18.1 months of goods and services imports. This year, the Rastra Bank had set a target of maintaining foreign exchange reserves equal to 7 months of imports.

Salary index increased by 6.03 percent 

The salary and wage index has increased by 6.03 percent in the same period of the current fiscal year compared to the previous fiscal year. This index shows an improvement of 3.18 percentage points in the salary and wages of workers in the same period of this year compared to the previous fiscal year. In the same second quarter of last year, such an index had increased by 2.85 percent.

From a provincial perspective, the salary and wage index of Gandaki has increased the most by 9.71 percent. The province with the lowest increase in salary and wage index is Karnali. The salary and wage index growth rate of this province is 2 percent. Accordingly, the salary and wage index growth rate of Koshi is 6.77 percent, Madhesh is 4.42 percent, Bagmati is 4.74 percent, Gandaki is 9.71 percent, Lumbini is 8.64 percent, and Sudurpaschim is 5.60 percent.