A meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Lilamani Paudel and participated by secretaries from the Ministries of Home, Commerce and Finance and a representative of the Nepal Army, decided to set up depots for the convenience of flood and landslide victims. [break]
According to Joint Secretary Laxmi Prasad Dhakal, who heads the Central Natural Disaster Relief Committee (CNDRC) under the Ministry of Home Affairs, "Depots of the National Trading Corporation and Salt Trading Corporation will be set up within one to two days and food supply will resume in areas that lack a road network."
The government also decided to use Nepal Army helicopters to transport edible items such as rice, pulses, cooking oil, salt and other essentials and relief packages, he said. The government will bear all the travel expenses and reimburse NA accordingly.
Under the coordination of CNDRC, food and relief supplies will be speeded up from tomorrow, he added.
Meanwhile, the government on Friday released Rs 500 million for the reconstruction of physical infrastructure in the flood-hit areas of Darchula district.
A cabinet meeting decided the matter in line with a commitment made by Chairman of the Interim Election Council Khil Raj Regmi during a visit to the affected areas on Thursday. The meeting also decided to increase the annual budget of CNDRC by Rs 100 million.
Govt transfers six secretaries
The cabinet also decided to transfer six secretaries of the government, a move that had been stalled for long due to disagreement among the parties.
According to Minister for Information and Communications Madhav Prasad Paudel, Secretary at the Ministry of Education Somlal Subedi has been transferred to the Ministry of Science, and Secretary at the Election Commission Narayan Gopal Malego has been transferred to the Ministry of Education.
Likewise, Keshav Prasad Bhattarai has been transferred to the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) and Aatmaram Pandey, who served as regional administrator for the Far-Western Region, has been transferred to the Ministry of Defense.
Secretary at the Auditor General´s Office (AGO) Narendra Dahal has been transferred to the Election Commission and Central Regional Administrator Uddav Banskota has been transferred to AGO.
The cabinet meeting also decided to create 3,243 new posts in the Armed Police Force to enhance border security. The meeting forwarded to the Bills Committee a draft proposal by the Ministry of Information and Communications on a relief fund for conflict-affected journalists. The cabinet has also decided to promote two colonels of the Nepal Army, who are to retire within a month, to brigadier.
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