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Though I generally tend to read thrillers when I need to distract myself from what is happening around me, there are some non-thriller titles that I pick up when my heart feels heavy and I need something to cheer me up. Books like ‘Matilda’ and ‘The Twits’ by Roald Dahl and anything by David Sedaris and Nick Hornby have witty writing and funny plots and I would recommend these if you were looking for some fun reads. 

But for me, there are some OG (cue in an eyeroll here for the millennial slang) of funny books the thought of which just instantly cheers me up. I can pick these books up and because I know the plot like the back of my hand I don’t even have to read it cover to cover. I just randomly flip to a page and read a passage or a line here and there. This week, I thought I’d share them with you as we could all do with some joy in our hectic lives.

Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K Jerome

Published in 1889, ‘Three Men in a Boat’ by Jerome K Jerome is a hilarious book about a two-week boating vacation. It was initially meant to be a serious travel guide but ended up becoming an account of three friends and their dog on a boating trip. The author and his friends are tired of regular life and decide to take a vacation. The book describes the adventures of the friends during their trip along the River Thames from Kingston to Oxford. There are mishaps and comic encounters that will leave you in splits. The writing is also funny and you get glimpses of London that will make you feel like you are actually there.

Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding

I love Helen Fielding for creating Bridget Jones. In my head, she’s not just a fictional character but someone who actually lives somewhere in this world and ‘Bridget Jones’s Diary’ is actually her diary. The book is well written, funny, and relatable. You are privy to the character’s weaknesses and flaws and that makes her extremely endearing. Her thoughts are laugh out loud funny. You can’t believe she is serious about all the things she stresses about. Reading the book or even parts of it always brings my deepest insecurities to the surface and forces me to look at them in a light manner. It was published in 1998 but it’s as relevant today as it was back then.

Bossypants by Tina Fey

Tina Fey is an American actress, writer, and comedian. She gained popularity for creating and starring as Liz Lemon in the popular show ‘30 Rock’. She created the musical adaptation of the popular movie ‘Mean Girls’. She has appeared in the Time 100 list of the 100 most influential people in the world. Her memoir ‘Bossypants’, which was subject to a bidding war among publishers, came out in 2011. I asked a cousin who was in the US to send me a copy of the book as it wasn’t available in Nepal back then. I’m someone who never asks for such favors so you can imagine how badly I wanted to read the book. Bossypants is funny, inspirational, and makes you want to take life a little less seriously.

Nepal’s democratic transition was a historic achievement, born out of years of struggle against autocracy and exclusion. The promise was clear: a more inclusive, transparent and accountable political system that would work for all Nepalis. However, in recent years, that promise appears increasingly under threat—not from overt dictatorship or conflict, but from a more insidious danger: crony capitalism, underpinned by corruption and rent-seeking behavior.

Instead of fulfilling the vision of a just and equitable society, Nepal’s political and economic systems are becoming instruments of private gain. Political power is being used not to deliver public service, but to protect vested interests, distribute favors and reward loyalty. As a result, the foundations of democracy are weakening, and inequality, injustice, and disillusionment are growing.

Graft in daily life

One of the clearest signs of Nepal’s corruption problem is the widespread practice of bribery in daily government work. People often complain that they have to pay extra money to get basic services—like getting a driver’s license, registering land or receiving government help. This kind of small-scale corruption is not just occasional; it has become a regular part of the system. Many lower-level officials take bribes, often with the knowledge or silent approval of their bosses. Because of this, public services no longer work fairly, and people lose trust in the system. Along with this, Nepal is now facing several big corruption scandals, such as irregularities in the construction of Bhairahawa and Pokhara airports, cheating in government purchases, and growing cases of human trafficking. These examples show how deep and serious corruption has become in the country.

Patronage over meritocracy

In a healthy democracy, public appointments and opportunities should be based on merit. In Nepal, however, political patronage has become the norm. Government contracts, licenses and even civil service positions are often awarded to those with political connections, not competence. This has created a dual economy—one that rewards allegiance over ability, and another that marginalizes the capable yet unconnected. Such practices discourage innovation, weaken institutions, and dishearten the youth.

Policy manipulation

Nepal’s business elite, particularly those with political ties, have increasingly influenced laws and regulations to serve their own interests. This includes securing tax exemptions, inflating budgets and establishing monopolies that block competition. Regulatory frameworks are often tailored to fit the needs of a few, undermining the spirit of fairness and market integrity. In effect, public policy is being captured and privatized.

Public procurement sans accountability

Large-scale corruption is particularly rampant in public procurement. Infrastructure, health and education projects are plagued by inflated costs, poor quality, and delayed completion. Contracts are frequently awarded without open bidding, leading to the misuse of public funds. Instead of serving the people, these projects often serve the contractors and politicians who collude behind the scenes. The result is a chronic under-delivery of essential services.

The capture of financial institutions

Even Nepal’s financial institutions are not immune. Several cooperatives and commercial banks are believed to be controlled by political actors or their close allies. These institutions have been used to launder money, issue unsecured loans to cronies and bypass financial oversight. Such practices not only promote corruption but also put ordinary depositors and the overall financial system at risk.

Consequences for the nation

The cumulative effect of corruption and rent-seeking is deeply damaging. Economic growth is stifled because genuine entrepreneurs are crowded out by politically connected firms. Inequality worsens as elites accumulate wealth while basic services for the public remain poor. Most dangerously, public trust in democratic institutions is eroding. When citizens lose faith in the rule of law and the fairness of the system, democracy itself is at risk.

Furthermore, the politicization of oversight institutions—such as the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), judiciary and police—has rendered many of them ineffective. These bodies are meant to serve as guardians of accountability, but they often appear reluctant or powerless to act against those in power.

The way forward

Addressing these challenges requires more than superficial reforms. It demands structural change and political will. Strengthening anti-corruption laws, ensuring transparency in public procurement and depoliticizing state institutions are essential. Political party financing must be regulated, and the independence of watchdog agencies must be guaranteed. Whistleblowers and investigative journalists must be protected, and a culture of ethical leadership must be cultivated.

Equally important is the need for civic engagement. Citizens must demand accountability, participate actively in governance and resist the normalization of corruption. Democracy does not end at the ballot box—it must be defended and deepened every day.

Conclusion

Nepal’s democracy was built with the hope of justice, equality and opportunity. Allowing that hope to be squandered by corruption and cronyism would be a profound betrayal. Crony capitalism is not just an economic issue—it is also a political and moral one. Unless addressed with urgency and courage, it threatens to undo the democratic gains made over decades. Nepal cannot afford to let democracy become a tool for private profit. It must remain a force for public good.

The decision to raise senior citizen allowances from 68 to 70 years will save the government approximately Rs 10bn annually, finance ministry officials say. The government, through the budget for fiscal year 2022/23 presented by Janardan Sharma of CPN (Maoist Center) had lowered the age limit for senior citizen allowances to 68 from 70. As the growing elderly population was putting additional financial burden, the government raised the age limit to 70 from the coming fiscal year.

It was one of the recommendations made by the High-level Economic Reforms Advisory Committee led by former Finance Secretary Rameshore Khanal.

Currently, all senior citizens aged 68 and above receive a monthly allowance of Rs 4,000. The age threshold, however, will remain unchanged for targeted groups such as elderly Dalits, residents of remote areas and others qualifying under special categories. According to finance ministry spokesperson Shyam Prasad Bhandari, raising the age limit is expected to save the state Rs 10bn annually. “This measure is aimed at easing fiscal pressure and making the system more sustainable and efficient,” he told ApEx. 

The government has also barred provincial and local bodies from duplicating social security programs, to avoid overlapping benefits and excessive spending. A total of Rs 109bn, roughly 5.55 percent of the national budget of Rs 1,964bn, has been allocated for all social security programs in the upcoming fiscal year. This represents a decline from previous years when social security expenses comprised over eight percent of the budget.

Khanal said limiting allowances to citizens above 70 years will help redirect funds toward capital formation. “It is not a permanent saving, but it provides temporary relief,” he said. The government also plans to integrate all social security payments with the national ID system to prevent duplication.

Economist Ramesh Paudel said the decision aligns with Nepal’s rising life expectancy, currently at 71.3 years. However, he criticized the move as symbolic rather than transformative. “Increasing the age limit might free up some funds, but it won’t significantly boost economic growth,” he said. Paudel called for a shift toward a single-window social security system focused on free education and healthcare, rather than multiple allowance categories. “Such investments have more long-term economic impact than scattered cash distributions,” he added.

According to the National Statistics Office, Nepal is on track to become an aging society by (2054/55), as the birth rate declines and the elderly population, which has already tripled since 1991/92, continues to rise.

Finance Ministry Joint-secretary Krishna Prasad Sharma called for a review of the pension system and a redesigned model for social support. “Expanding social security without systemic reforms could make it unsustainable,” he added. The number of beneficiaries is expected to increase from 3.75m this year to 3.78m next year, even with the higher age requirement, according to finance ministry officials.

For more than 20 years, the only Living Planet found thus far in a vast universe has been celebrating the World Environment Day on June 5 to draw the attention of humanity toward pressing environmental concerns. This time, the world is celebrating the big day under the auspices of the United Nations Environment Program with a very relevant theme: #BeatPlasticPollution. The Republic of Korea (RoK) is hosting the global celebrations geared toward ending plastic pollution, not an easy undertaking (to say the least), given a pervasive use of plastics in our lives.

The World Environment Day 2025 states in its homepage: For decades, plastic pollution has seeped into every corner of the world, leaching into the water we drink, into the food we eat, and our bodies. While plastic pollution is a major concern, it is also one of the most fixable of today’s environmental challenges, with some obvious solutions at hand.

Together with the UNEP, this year’s celebrations will spotlight the growing scientific evidence on the impacts of plastic pollution and drive momentum to refuse, reduce, reuse, recycle and rethink (4Rs) plastics use, apart from reinforcing the global commitment made in 2022 to end plastic pollution through a global plastic pollution treaty.

Plastic pollution is a key factor behind three major crises facing life on Earth: the crisis of climate change, the crisis of nature, land and biodiversity loss, and the crisis of pollution and waste. An estimated 11m tonnes of plastic waste leak into aquatic ecosystems each year, while microplastics accumulate in the soil from sewage and landfills, due to the use of plastics in agricultural products. The annual social and environmental cost of plastic pollution ranges from $300-$600bn.

While Nepal has a very nominal pollution footprint compared to global economic powerhouses, plastic pollution is becoming increasingly visible in our daily lives. As our water bodies, sewage systems, forests and even our streets show, plastic pollution is emerging as an all-pervasive problem, contaminating the air we breathe, the water we drink and the food we partake, with severe consequences not only for us but for the entire living planet.   

As a famous quote goes: If you are not part of the solution, then you are part of the problem. While celebrating the big day with the rest of humanity, let us not forget that the onus is also on us to end plastic pollution. Together, we can beat plastic pollution—and all other forms of pollution—and we must, for there’s no other living planet in this vast universe.