Kathmandu, June 2 -- The government has announced plans to expand consumer courts across all provinces in the upcoming fiscal year 2025-26, which has raised hopes among consumer rights advocates.

Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel presented the national budget on Thursday and stated that the government is committed to curbing malpractices such as black marketing, monopolies, syndicates, and artificial shortages.

He emphasised that the market would be more competitive and consumer-friendly, and consumer courts would be expanded to all provinces.

Nepal's first consumer court, housed within the Department of Cottage and Small Scale Industries at Tripureshwar in Kathmandu, began operating on March 15.

Due to budgetary constraints, it o...