NEW DELHI: Nepal PM Balendra “Balen” Shah accepted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s invitation to visit India even as he initiated a sweeping and radical 100-point governance agenda at home targeting VIP culture, political influence in campuses and bureaucracy, delays in public service, free healthcare access for the poor, safer public transport for women and stress-free schooling for younger children. Foreign minister Shishir Khanal said, “The Nepal govt has accepted the invitation, and the foreign ministries of both countries are now making preparations for the visit.” He indicated that the trip to New Delhi will be Shah’s first major diplomatic outreach since taking office. The last official visit by a Nepali PM to India was made by Pushpa Kamal Dahal “Prachanda” in June 2023. Meanwhile, introducing a raft of changes, the new govt in Kathmandu has proposed cutting the number of federal ministries, banning political affiliations for sections of the state machinery and replacing party-linked student bodies with non-partisan platforms. The reform plan takes direct aim at political influence in education and the civil service. Under the new mandate, party-affiliated student organisations in schools and universities are to be dismantled within 90 days and replaced with non-partisan student councils or “Voice of students” platforms. Announcing the move, Shah said, “Schools and colleges will no longer serve as arenas for political activity but will function solely as centres of learning.“
