By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, Nov. 13 : The government has decided to provide free test and treatment to all the people infected with COVID-19.
A meeting of the Council of Ministers held on Monday, November 9 at the official residence of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli in Baluwatar took the decision and instructed the Ministry of Health and Population to make preparations in this regard.
A proposal in this regard was submitted by the Ministry of Health.
“It will prepare a detailed blueprint for the test and treatment of COVID-19 patients free of cost and inform the public,” Minister for Communication and Information Technology Parbat Gurung said Thursday while making public the Cabinet decisions taken on November 5 and 9.
The Supreme Court had ordered the government to provide free test and treatment to the coronavirus infected citizens.
As per the decision, the free test and treatment facilities will be available at the government laboratories and hospitals.
The Cabinet meeting has also formed a three-member Committee comprising the secretaries of finance, health and foreign affairs ministries to purchase the COVID-19 vaccine in time. "This committee will study and prepare where the vaccine is being made, when and through what process it will be introduced so that its timely supply can be ensured," Minister Gurung said.
According to the Cabinet decision held on November 9, Prime Minister Oli has deposited all his salary of six months beginning from October 17, 2020 to April 13, 2021 in the Coronavirus Infection Prevention, Control and Treatment Fund.
Also, the government decided to deposit 50 per cent of the salary of the deputy prime minister, ministers, and state ministers of the federal government.
Earlier, President Bidya Devi Bhandari and ministers had deposited one month's salary in the fund while the lawmakers had deposited 15 days’ allowance in the fund.
The National Planning Commission has stated that the amount deposited in the fund would be released to the local and state governments as per the demand.
The Cabinet meeting has also passed the working procedure related to austerity. "It includes reducing administrative costs, controlling expenditure and preventing leakages," according to the Cabinet decision.
Earlier, the government had cut spending in 14 administrative areas. The finance ministry has proposed expenditure cuts in more areas, according to Minister Gurung.
The Cabinet meeting held on November 9 revoked the earlier decision to impose a 10 per cent customs tax on the import of all kinds of books from India and other countries.
The Cabinet meeting decided to procure chemical fertiliser after the Bangladesh government denied lending it.
The Ministry for Agriculture and Livestock Development said that it decided to procure 50,000 metric tonnes of manure from Bangladesh through the government-to-government model. Earlier, the government had said that fertilizer would be borrowed from Bangladesh.
The government has decided to declare some places of different States as industrial zones. They include 63 ropanis of land in Rautamai Rural Municipality-5 of Udayapur district, 64 ropanis of land in Myanglung Rural Municipality-1 and 10 of Tehrathum district, and eight bighas of government land in Belaka Municipality-5 of Udayapur district.
Also the government has decided to declare Bidur Municipality Ward No. 10 of Nuwakot district, Shivalaya Rural Municipality-4 of Jajarkot district, and Bherigana Municipality-11 of Surkhet district industrial zones.
The Cabinet meeting held on November 9 also suspended free movement of people and vehicles without possessing entry approval from the permitted international border points till December 15, 2020. Arrival of technical manpower (Indian nationals) possessing legal approval would not be barred.
The government has nominated Dr. Dibya Singh Shah, who is the dean of Institute of Medicine of TU Teaching Hospital, as chairman of the Board.
Similarly, Prof. Dr. Prem Raj Gyawali, Prof. Dr. Paleshwan Joshi Lakhey and Prof. Dr. Shankerman Rai were nominated members of the board for two-year term.
Meanwhile, the Cabinet meeting held on November 5 appointed Raghu Bhandari of Nepali Army as Director General of National Cadet Corps (NCC) to come into effect from October 29 for two years.
Also, the government decided to accept loan assistance of Rs. 175 million to be provided by Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) of the United Nations for implementing a project entitled Nepal’s Increased Sustainable Tea Exports.
The government has also given economic assistance of Rs. 300,000 to family members of Samjahan Kami who had been killed after being raped.