By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu,May 1:  The government has reviewed the relief package, tax discount and other facilities announced targeting both the organised and unorganised sectors and industries as the lockdown remains in effect.
A meeting of the Council of Ministers held at the official residence of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli in Baluwatar on April 26 deliberated in this regard and took relevant decisions, Minister for Finance, Communication and Information Technology Dr Yuvaraj Khatiwada informed on Thursday.
As per the decisions, the daily wage earners or labourers working in unorganised sectors would be given jobs in government offices and the local bodies. While giving jobs, they should be provided daily wages and food every day from the sources of the local bodies and States, according to the decision.
The authority to fix daily wage is given to the local bodies based on relief distribution criteria, Minister Dr Khatiwada said. “Such labourers who come for jobs offered by the local bodies should also be enlisted in the Employment Service Centre established within the local bodies,” he said.
And those labourers who don’t come seeking jobs and only seek relief material should be provided only 25 per cent of the total relief amount.

Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration should facilitate the local bodies to distribute such relief items and wages to be received by them, Minister Dr Khatiwada said.
Insufficiency of budget to spend in such works should also be replenished through the Central COVID-19 Relief Fund release. For the distribution of relief materials, any willing non-governmental organisation can also provide support to the local bodies.
In case of labourers working in organised offices, industries and factories, the concerned employers or offices should immediately release 50 per cent salaries in their account and remaining 50 per cent should be provided after the resumption of the offices. While providing salaries to their staff, if any office faces liquidity crisis, they can get concessional loan from the banks and financial institutions. Refinancing facilities can be provided by Nepal Rastra Bank in such condition, according to the decisions.
The above decisions would also be applicable to tourism sector entrepreneurs and institutions.
Salt Trading Corporation Limited and Food Management and Trading Company Limited should continue their 10 per cent subsidy to customers throughout the lockdown period in rice, lentils, oil, sugar, salt, and flour.
Nepal Telecom and other internet service providers should continue the provision of providing 25 per cent discount on the monthly charge.
Nepal Electricity Authority should continue providing 25 and 15 per cent discount in electricity traffic for those who use up to 150 units per month and 250 units per month respectively.
The customers of electricity, drinking water, telephone and internet will not be charged delay fine and other additional charges if they pay the tariff by mid-July.
The government has extended the customs exemption provision up to May 27 for those organisations and institutions which are supplying and supporting the government and the Ministry of Health and Population in providing and purchasing COVID-19 related medical goods and medicines.
The government has extended the tax submission and refund application deadline until June 7 for the month of Falgun and Chaitra. Similarly, submission of excise duty of the month of Falgun and Chaitra is also extended until June 7.
The Cabinet meeting also increased the ceiling of providing refinancing facility up to Rs 1 billion. Nepal Rastra Bank has been directed to manage all these systems.
The debtors, who should have paid their principal and interest to the banks and financial institutions, can seek extension as per the necessity.