Nepal PM’s 88 of 100 promises remain unmet:2 ministers quit within 30 days; Gen-Z asks, ‘Are there no capable leaders?’

It has been only two months since Nepal Prime Minister Balen Shah took office, but his government is already facing questions over its performance. After taking the oath on March 27, Balen introduced a 100-point reform agenda. However, according to the Prime Minister’s Office tracker website, 88 of those promises are now reported to be overdue or behind schedule. The government has also faced setbacks after two key ministers resigned within 30 days of its formation. Labour Minister Deepak Shah stepped down after allegations that he improperly secured a job for his wife. Home Minister Sudan Gurung also resigned following claims of links to a businessman under investigation. The developments have fuelled growing dissatisfaction among Gen-Z youth. Many are asking whether the promised “new politics” is truly different and questioning if capable people are still lacking in government. Questions are also being raised within Balen’s party Several decisions taken by Prime Minister Balen Shah’s government have faced protests and legal challenges. Along with opposition criticism, questions are now being raised from within his own party as well. Leaders of Balen’s Rashtriya Swatantra Party, Aashika Tamang and Amresh Kumar Singh, publicly criticised him after he did not respond to opposition questions in Parliament. Amresh Singh said Nepal’s democracy was beginning to resemble the “Pakistan model”, where, according to him, the government is not accountable to Parliament. Balen had made many promises after becoming PM After becoming Prime Minister, Balen promised major reforms, including reducing the number of ministries, merging loss-making boards and committees, and keeping government employees and teachers away from politics. He also spoke about implementing the recommendations of the Gauri Bahadur Karki Commission, restarting stalled projects, digitising investment and industrial services, and preparing a long-term strategy for energy exports. Controversy over arrest and commission report The Balen government decided to implement the Karki Commission report, which was prepared during the interim period under former Prime Minister Sushila Karki. The report examined corruption and misuse of power and recommended reforms. It was also linked to the Gen-Z movement. However, the government faced criticism for implementing the report without what critics called a clear legal basis. Meanwhile, the arrests of former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak also sparked controversy, with allegations that proper procedures and paperwork were not completed. The move faced both legal and political opposition. Nepali Congress leader Deepak Khadka was also released after spending a long period in custody, as authorities reportedly found insufficient evidence against him. Allegations of running the government through ordinances Although the Balen government has a two-thirds majority in the lower house, it has no members in the upper house, the National Assembly, which plays an important role in passing and amending laws in Nepal. In this situation, the government introduced eight ordinances, including proposals to end civil service trade unions and student organisations in universities. Following protests by employee and student groups, Nepal’s Supreme Court stayed these ordinances. In a social media post, Balen said banning party flags in schools and government offices would not take away the rights of students or employees but would instead strengthen professional independence. He argued that student and employee groups in education and government offices had become “sleeper cells” of political parties. According to him, transfers and promotions should depend on merit and performance rather than political links. Protests against bulldozer action from streets to court The Balen government has faced its strongest criticism over its anti-encroachment drive. Homeless and landless people have held protests in different parts of Nepal. Officials said around 4,000 structures have been demolished in the Kathmandu Valley alone, affecting at least 15,000 people. Balen had earlier made bulldozer action a key part of his politics as Kathmandu mayor and later expanded the same approach nationwide after becoming Prime Minister. However, several human rights groups, including UN experts, have criticised the campaign. They said poor people were removed without proper identification, consultation or rehabilitation plans. No press conference held in two months During the election campaign, Balen promised transparency and accountability. However, his silence after becoming Prime Minister is now being questioned. Since taking the oath, he has neither addressed the nation nor held a press conference. He also left midway through the President’s policy and programme speech and was later absent from Parliament without notice. The opposition repeatedly protested in Parliament and demanded that the Prime Minister appear in the House to answer questions. Strict rules on goods from India spark resentment in border areas The Nepal government has strictly enforced customs duty rules on goods brought in from India, leading to protests along the India-Nepal border. Under the rules, customs duty must be paid on goods worth more than 100 Nepali rupees (around ₹63) brought from India. The tax ranges from 5% to 80%, depending on the type of goods. For many years, people in Nepal have bought groceries, medicines, clothes, utensils, electronics and wedding items from Indian border towns. After the Nepali New Year, these rules began to be strictly enforced. The move has caused difficulties for people living in border areas, and resentment is growing. One protester told ANI that items needed for everything from birth to death come from India, and even fertiliser often has to be sourced from there. According to the protester, the new rules feel like an undeclared blockade.