Kathmandu [Nepal], October – The government has decided to suspend the search and rescue operation following the Bhotekoshi-Trishuli floods for the time being except for essential searches and accelerate reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts in the affected areas.
A meeting of the National Council for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management, chaired by Prime Minister Balendra Shah on Monday directed concerned agencies to expedite reconstruction and rehabilitation alongside essential search operations.
The decision was taken based on recommendations from district security committees, district disaster management committees, the Executive Committee of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) and findings from field observations.
The meeting also decided to recommend that the Finance Ministry approve a budget of 559.17 billion rupees ($4.1 billion) for 504 plans and programmes submitted by various ministries and agencies for reconstruction and rehabilitation in the affected areas.
The approved plans will be funded through the Finance Ministry in accordance with the Financial Procedures and Fiscal Responsibility Regulations, 2020.
The council directed NDRRMA to recommend additional budget allocations to the Finance Ministry once details of projects without cost estimates and those yet to be prioritised are received.
Prime Minister Shah said disaster management efforts were being carried out through coordination among the federal, provincial and local governments and that reconstruction and rehabilitation would follow the same approach.
Opposition leaders and the parliamentary party leader of the Nepali Congress along with the chief ministers of Bagmati, Gandaki, Madhesh and Koshi provinces expressed their full support for the efforts.
The council also expressed condolences to the families of those killed in the Bhotekoshi-Trishuli floods and other monsoon-related disasters while commending security personnel, elected representatives, civil servants, volunteers, media workers, donor countries and development partners for their support.
