Special Loan Facility for Industries Affected by Rasuwa & Tatopani Customs Blockade

The recent blockades and disruptions at Rasuwa and Tatopani customs points have caused significant difficulties for Nepalese industries engaged in cross-border trade, particularly with China. Recognizing these challenges, the Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has announced a special loan restructuring and refinancing facility for affected businesses.

Under this provision, industries directly impacted by the customs blockade can request their loans to be restructured or rescheduled, subject to verification by licensed banks and financial institutions. All such restructuring must be finalized by the end of Poush 2082. Importantly, restructured loans will retain the same classification as of Asar 2082, preventing borrowers from being downgraded into weaker loan categories and giving them breathing space to recover.

For businesses requiring additional liquidity, NRB has allowed new loans to be issued at base rate + 0.5% premium only, making credit more affordable during the recovery phase. Furthermore, if financing temporarily pushes the debt-to-equity ratio above the normal 80:20 limit, it will not be downgraded for one year. This provides flexibility for highly affected industries struggling to restart operations.

The facility aims to restore business continuity, protect jobs, and stabilize supply chains that depend heavily on cross-border trade. By offering this relief, NRB seeks to ensure that industries disrupted by border blockades can resume operations without facing excessive financial stress.