KATHMANDU, AUGUST 27

Nepal's public debt rose by over Rs 14 billion in the first month of the current fiscal year 2082/83 (2024/25), according to the Public Debt Management Office.

The Office's report shows that total sovereign debt stood at Rs 2.669 trillion at the start of the fiscal year and climbed to Rs 2.684 trillion by mid-August, equivalent to 43.94% of the country's GDP. Of this, 52.26% is external debt (Rs 1.42 trillion) and 47.74% domestic debt.

The government has targeted raising Rs 595 billion in debt this year. By the end of Saun, Rs 44.57 billion-or 7.48% of the annual target-had been mobilized, including Rs 40 billion in domestic loans and Rs 4.57 billion in external loans.

Meanwhile, Rs 36.68 billion has already been spent on interest payments out of the Rs 411 billion allocated for debt servicing in the current budget, which represents 8.93% of total government expenditure.