Nepal reiterates firm stance against Lipulek route to Mansarovar

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, May 5: The government has reaffirmed its position that the land along the route to Kailash Mansarovar via Lipulek Pass belongs to Nepal. 

Speaking to journalists following a Cabinet meeting, government spokesperson and Minister for Education, Science and Technology, Sasmit Pokharel, reiterated the country’s commitment to its territorial claim.

His remarks come days after India reopened the pilgrimage route to Kailash Mansarovar through Lipulek Pass. The Indian government has announced that the pilgrimage will operate from June to August 2026.

On Sunday, Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent a diplomatic note to both India and China, urging them to refrain from carrying out any activities in the disputed area. In response, India stated that the route to Mansarovar is a longstanding matter.

“Despite the ongoing border dispute, the Government of Nepal remains firm that the land in question is part of Nepal,” Pokharel said.

He added that further developments would depend on cooperation between the two countries. “The Government of Nepal is committed to its stance. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already issued its note. India has also responded, indicating that a solution should be sought through open cooperation,” he noted.

Constitutional Council Ordinance resent to President

Meanwhile, the meeting of the Council of Ministers held at the Office of Prime Minister and Council of Ministers on Monday, decided to re-recommend the President to issue Constitutional Council (First Amendment) Ordinance, 2083, after it had been returned by the President for reconsideration.

Announcing the Cabinet decisions, Minister Pokharel said, it has been decided to resend the ordinance to the President for issuance without changing anything from the previous version. 

The Cabinet meeting also granted in-principle approval to Agricultural Inputs Company Limited to procure 60,000 metric tonnes of urea and 20,000 metric tonnes of DAP fertiliser from India under a government-to-government (G2G) arrangement.

In addition, the Cabinet decided to accept a concessional loan of 52 million US dollars and a grant of 5 million US dollars from the World Bank. 

The funding will be utilised to replace conventional boilers with electronic ones, facilitate loan access for industries, and enhance air quality monitoring capacity.

The meeting also approved the revised master plan of the Singha Durbar premises, incorporating provisions related to entry into the parliamentary building complex and broader infrastructural arrangements.