Government Accepts Emergency Grant From Japan & Germany

The government has made 13 decisions ranging from approving the Nepal Special Service (Twenty-First Amendment) Regulations, 2083 to declaring flood- and landslide-affected local levels as disaster crisis zones.

At a press briefing following the Cabinet meeting held today at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, Minister for Information and Communications Dr. Bikram Timilsina announced that the government has decided to accept emergency grant assistance worth 295 million Japanese yen in goods and services from Japan, and 20 million euros in grant aid from Germany.

According to him, the Cabinet has granted in-principle approval to draft the Budhigandaki Development Authority Bill as proposed by the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation.

On the proposal of the Ministry of Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs, the Cabinet decided to bring into effect Section 17 (subsection ‘nga’), Section 25, and Section 26 of the Criminal Offenses (Sentencing and Implementation) Act, 2074 starting from Kartik 15, 2083.

On the proposal of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forests, and Environment, the Cabinet fixed the minimum support price of wheat for fiscal year 2083/84 at Rs. 4,107 per quintal.

The Cabinet declared Chumnubri Rural Municipality, Dharche Rural Municipality, and Arughat Rural Municipality of Gorkha district, as well as Wards 1 and 2 of Tripurasundari Rural Municipality in Dhading district, as disaster crisis zones due to severe flooding in the Budhigandaki River.

Similarly, Galchot Municipality and Dhorpatan Municipality of Baglung district, which were severely affected by floods and landslides between Ashoj 8–11, 2083, have been declared disaster crisis zones for a period of three months.

The meeting also decided that affected families whose private houses were damaged in those local levels may opt for temporary shelter in private huts instead of holding centers. In such cases, until alternative housing arrangements are made, families of up to four members will receive Rs. 15,000 per month for up to six months as immediate relief for housing and livelihood. Families with more than six members will receive an additional Rs. 2,000 per person per month.

On the proposal of the Ministry of Infrastructure Development, the Cabinet approved submission of the BIMSTEC Agreement on Cooperation in Maritime Transport to the Federal Parliament for ratification. On the proposal of the Ministry of Youth, Labour, and Employment, it granted in-principle approval to draft the National Employment Bill.

The Cabinet also approved the Kalimatī Fruit and Vegetable Market Development Committee (Formation) (Fourth Amendment) Order, 2083 and the Foodstuffs (Second Amendment) Regulations, 2083. It further approved submission to the Federal Parliament of bills amending the Animal Slaughterhouse and Meat Inspection Act, 2055 and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2074.

Finally, the Cabinet decided to forward the annual report of the Management Audit for Fiscal Year 2081/82 to the Ministry of Land Management, Cooperatives, Federal Affairs, and General Administration for implementation. (RSS)