KATHMANDU, Oct 5: The government has put forward 504 projects for reconstruction and rehabilitation in response to the damage caused by the August 26 floods in the Bhotekoshi-Trishuli river system.
Prime Minister Balendra Shah has recommended that the Ministry of Finance (MoF) approve a budget of Rs 559.17 billion for the 504 projects. Prime Minister Shah made the decision during the 21st meeting of the National Council for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management held at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers on Monday.
In accordance with the Financial Procedures and Fiscal Responsibility Regulations, 2020, resource management for the approved projects will be handled through the MoF.
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The Prime Minister's Secretariat stated that the meeting directed the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority to recommend the necessary budget arrangements to the MoF once details of projects with undisclosed cost estimates and those yet to be prioritized are received.
The meeting also instructed the concerned agencies to accelerate reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts. It decided to suspend search and rescue operations following the Bhotekoshi-Trishuli floods for the time being, except for essential operations.
According to the Prime Minister's Secretariat, the decision was made based on recommendations from the District Security Committee, the District Disaster Management Committee, and the Executive Committee of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, as well as findings from field inspections.
At the meeting, Shah said disaster management efforts are being carried out through coordination among the federal, provincial, and local governments, and that reconstruction and rehabilitation work would proceed in the same manner.
The devastating disaster has claimed 1,386 lives, with more than 4,000 people still missing. Nearly 1.6 million people have been affected, while thousands of homes have been destroyed or damaged. Thousands of displaced people are relying on holding centers and winter relief efforts.
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