Kathmandu.

Independent Power Producers’ Association, Nepal (IPPAN) has donated over Rs 10 million to the fund set up by the government to prevent and control COVID-19. IPPAN President Shailendra Guragain handed a cheque equivalent to the amounts to be deposited in the fund through Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Barsha Man Pun amid a function here today. On the occasion, Minister Pun thanked IPPAN for expressing solidarity with the government’s efforts to prevent and control the infection. 

The Minister said that the government has decided to ease operation of big projects and industries amid lockdown in view of bad impacts on country’s economy due to the virus outbreaks. “We have to learn skills to live amid the pandemic. Facilitation is underway for the resumption of development work and industries by placing necessary security measures,” he said. Required compensation would be managed for hydropower projects affected by lockdown after forming an all party taskforce involving the government, private sector and financial institutions when the pandemic normalises, he said. 

Homework was underway to set up a relief fund after consulting with donors like World Bank and Asian Development Bank, he said. Stating that 2.6 million Nepalis need jobs including at least 1 million Nepali migrant workers in various countries who would return home right after global lockdown eases and 500,000 workforce would be added each year in the internal market, he said, the government was at work to create job opportunities in this regard. The donation amounts were collected from 66 businesspersons who are associated with IPPAN, said the IPPAN.