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Nepal PM Balendra Shah Discloses NPR 14.6 Million in Bank Accounts

Nepal's Prime Minister Balendra Shah has publicly declared his assets, revealing NPR 14.6 million in his bank accounts. His disclosed sources of income include revenue from social media and streaming platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and Spotify. The declaration also details property owned by his family, including land holdings by his parents and precious metals owned by his wife. Other cabinet ministers have followed suit in disclosing their assets, continuing a tradition of transparency, though some past governments have not adhered to this practice.

Key Points: Nepal PM Balendra Shah's Asset Declaration Reveals Finances

  • PM discloses NPR 14.6M in accounts
  • Income from Facebook, YouTube, Spotify
  • Family land and assets detailed
  • Ministers follow transparency tradition
2 min read

Nepali PM Balendra Shah has NPR 14.6 million in bank accounts

PM Balendra Shah discloses NPR 14.6M in bank accounts, with income from social media. Cabinet ministers also release property details.

"PM Balendra Shah has listed Facebook, YouTube, and Spotify as his sources of income. - Office of the Prime Minister"

Kathmandu, April 12

Nepal's new Prime Minister Balendra Shah has NPR 14.6 million in his bank account, according to property details made public on Sunday by the Prime Minister along with other members of his Cabinet.

As per the Corruption Prevention Act, 2002, Ministers and other high-level government officials are required to submit their asset details to designated government bodies within 60 days of assuming office.

However, there is no provision requiring those details to be made public.

Nevertheless, in line with the principles of good governance and transparency, there has been a tradition of disclosing such information.

According to the details released by the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, PM Balendra Shah has listed Facebook, YouTube, and Spotify as his sources of income.

The asset declaration also shows that Shah's mother, Dhruvadevi Shah, owns 5 aana of land (158.98 square metres) in Kathmandu and 1.2 bigha (8,286.14 square metres) of land in Dhanusha district in southern Madhes Province.

His father, Ramnarayan Shah, owns 9 bigha (61,112.62 square metres) of land in Mahottari district.

Similarly, Shah's wife, Sabina Kafle, owns 190 tolas of precious metals, including gold and silver (not specified).

Other Cabinet members, including Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle and Home Minister Sudhan Gurung, have also disclosed their property details.

Nepal has generally followed the practice of Prime Ministers and Cabinet Ministers publicly disclosing their property details since the restoration of democracy in 1990.

However, some governments in the past have not followed this practice.

For instance, after the formation of the government led by former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli in July 2024, Cabinet members did not disclose their property details.

Similarly, a previous government led by Sushila Karki also failed to make such disclosures.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Only 14.6 million NPR? That's roughly 9-10 crore INR. For a Prime Minister, that seems surprisingly modest, especially when you see the land holdings of his family. Makes you wonder about the actual wealth of some of our own netas who never disclose anything. 🤔
R
Rohit P
Good step by the Nepali PM. But let's be real, this is just declared wealth. The real test is whether this transparency continues and if it leads to actual accountability. In our part of the world, declarations are often just a formality.
S
Sarah B
As someone who follows South Asian politics, this is a positive development. The contrast with the previous government that didn't disclose is stark. It sets a precedent. Hope it encourages a culture of openness across the region.
V
Vikram M
Facebook, YouTube, Spotify as income sources? That's a very 21st century politician! Shows a different background compared to traditional business or land-owning families. Interesting to see how this plays out in governance. Jai Nepal! 🙏
K
Karthik V
Respectfully, while disclosure is good, the article mentions there's no law requiring it to be public. That's the loophole. It should be mandatory by law for all high officials, in Nepal and in India. Relying on "tradition" or "principles" is not enough. We need strong RTI-like frameworks.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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