Lofty economic plans

Political parties contesting the 5 March election have released economically ambitious manifestos. The NC promises collateral-free loans of up to Rs5m, 1.5 million new jobs over five years. The CPN-UML pledged to triple export earnings, waive small household loans, and raise the minimum wage to Rs25,000. The RSP committed to 500,000 direct jobs over a decade and cooperative funds. The NCP proposed reducing poverty to 5%, generating 15,000MW of electricity, and introducing a Kathmandu metro. Experts warn that these promises lack a realistic assessment of budget and capacity.