Cabinet decides to accept grants, soft loans from WB and other donors

KATHMANDU, JUNE 25: The government has decided to approve grants and soft loans from the World Bank and other donor agencies. A meeting of the Council of Ministers held yesterday decided to accept 80 million US dollars in loans from the World Bank, the government spokesperson and Minister for Communications and Information Technology Rekha Sharma said.

Likewise, the government approved an additional grant assistance of 8.1 million pounds sterling from the British Government for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of earthquake damages in the Karnali Province.

According to Minister Sharma, the cabinet meeting approved the visit of Finance Minister Barsha Man Pun to participate in a high-level conference to be held in Beijing, China, from July 11 to 13.

Additionally, the cabinet meeting decided to hand over the remaining amount of the fiscal equalization grants to the concerned local levels for the fiscal year 2080/081.

The cabinet meeting also transferred the suspended Chief Secretary Dr. Baikuntha Aryal to the National Planning Commission by creating a post equivalent to Chief Secretary at the Commission, Minister Sharma said. After the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) filed a case of corruption at the Special Court, Chief Secretary Dr. Baikuntha Aryal was automatically suspended from the post.

The cabinet meeting also appointed Dr. Ram Prasad Dhital as the Chair of the Electricity Regulations Commission and Dr. Madhu Sudan Adhikari and Jhamak Prasad Sharma as its members. Likewise, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Yadav was appointed Executive Director of the National Dairy Development Board.

Furthermore, the cabinet meeting approved the Minister for Youths and Sports' visit to South Korea to attend a program there from June 28 to July 4, Minister Sharma informed journalists.