Nepal, May 29 -- Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle on Friday announced a wide-ranging set of reforms and development programmes in the budget for fiscal year 2026-27, including a national campaign to support Nepal's graduation from the United Nations' least developed country category.

Presenting the budget at a joint session of Parliament, Wagle said Nepal had already met the minimum criteria required for graduation from the least developed country status. However, he said the government had decided to pursue the transition over the next two years through an intensive national economic and social transformation campaign.

The government also announced a series of drinking water and sanitation projects, including deep-boring programmes in Ta...