The government has decided to accredit Nepal Sambat as a government calendar, and formed a three-member task force to study how the lunar calendar used by the Newar community, primarily in the Capital Valley, can be used in the government offices.

According to Deputy Prime Minister and government Spokesperson Narayan Kaji Shrestha, the taskforce headed by Newar intellectual and activist Padmaratna Tuladhar will submit its report on the study of native calendars along with Nepal Sambat to the government within a month. Hari Narayan Malla and Kumar Yonjan are included as members in the taskforce.

The Cabinet meeting held at Singha Durbar Tuesday morning took the decision to this effect.

Also, the meeting decided to set up Shankhadhar Sakhwa National Academy in the name of the founder of Nepal Sambat.

Sakhwa, a merchant of Kathmandu, paid the debts of commoners after he miraculously found the sand turned into gold over in 880 AD, according to legends. Historians suggest that Nepal Sambat was started to commemorate the clearance of state debts since then.