Nepal PM and Cabinet Disclose Assets

Kathmandu, Nepal – Prime Minister Balendra Shah and his Cabinet ministers publicly disclosed their asset details on Sunday, fulfilling a legal requirement under the Corruption Prevention Act while underscoring the new government's emphasis on transparency. The filings, released by the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers and posted on the government's website, reveal a mix of traditional holdings and modern income sources for the leaders of the Rastriya Swatantra Party-led administration, which took office on March 27.

Prime Minister Shah, 35, reported bank deposits of approximately 14.6 million Nepalese rupees, primarily from earnings on digital platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Spotify, iTunes, and X. He listed properties in Kathmandu, Dhanusha, and Mahottari districts, along with 190 tolas of inherited gold held by his spouse, Sabina Kafle, valued at around 2.8 crore rupees. Shah's financial profile stands out, as his income derives largely from content creation and music streaming royalties, reflecting his pre-political career as an independent rapper with millions of followers across social media. In contrast, his official salary as prime...