Overview
- Inflation rose to 13.4% year‑on‑year in October 2026, driven largely by big jumps in meat and other food prices and higher costs for imported goods that make up more than half of the consumption basket.
- Officials are advancing major infrastructure plans as policy responses, including a domestically sited oil refinery reported to be backed by a $1.7 billion concessional loan from India with commissioning planned for February 2028.
- Government audits and courts moved this week to strengthen oversight: the Anti‑Corruption Agency reviewed 119 conflict‑of‑interest complaints and referred 13 cases for liability, and the Supreme Court ruled parts of the 'Aqua Garden' land allocation unlawful because it overlaps the Dund gol protected zone.
- Immediate public‑safety and seasonal readiness measures increased after the Fuel Consumers Service Center logged 114 household carbon‑monoxide calls overnight, protecting 342 people, and meteorological services issued heavy‑snow warnings for western and northern provinces.
- Budget and municipal actions are being adjusted to shield households: the government says it will avoid raising household electricity tariffs, adopt targeted social support and re‑prioritise spending while city agencies run winter preparedness drills and infrastructure contingency training.