The government of Japan is to provide Rs 10.39 billion ‘policy loan’ assistance for Nepal’s economic development and productivity. A cabinet meeting held on January 5 decided to accept the loan assistance.

At a news conference organised at Singha Durbar today to release the decisions of the cabinet meeting, Minister for Communication and Information technology, Gyanendra Bahadur Karki, shared this. The meeting also decided to approve Police Regulations (ninth amendment)-2078, to appoint Yadu Lal Kharel as the Additional Chief Investigation Director of the National Investigation Department to be effective from January 7 and determine minimum purchase price of sugarcane at Rs 520 per quintal for the current fiscal.

Similarly, the government took the decision to forward preliminary activities of land acquisition for the different power distribution centres and transmission lines, to designate Chief of Drug Control Section of the Home Ministry and Assistant Chief District Officer of all District Administration Offices as drug control officer, and to provide Rs 300,000 financial assistance to acid attack survivor Muskan Khatun, added Minister Karki.

The meeting has given approval for partnership agreement for the construction of a motorable bridge over Mahakali river of Darchula linking Nepal and India, for appointing Surendra Basent of Jhapa as Vice-Chairperson of the National Youth Council, and for giving first priority to cutting down trees within the area of large projects, which are on national priority, for carrying out research to identify carbon reserve in the forest area.

Also the spokesperson of the government, Minister Karki said that the government decided to publish regular edition of Nepal Gazette on Monday and Thursday every week, to give permission to Gorkhapatra for land acquisition for the construction of go-down building and to promote Gazetted (first-class) Joint-Secretary Krishna Bahadur Raut to the post of special class.

Responding to a query, Minister Karki clarified that the government was committed towards right to information and government’s decisions were not restricted. –