Banking News – The government has decided to accept grant assistance equivalent to $20.7 million USD to be received from the US government for reforms in the health sector. Making public the decisions of the Cabinet meeting held on Tuesday, government spokesperson and Minister for Education, Science and Technology Sasmitha Pokharel informed that a decision was made to accept the foreign grant assistance on the proposal of the Ministry of Finance.

The meeting has also granted approval to use national forest areas for the construction of various structures related to infrastructure development and national security. Under this, land in the national forest area will be allowed for use for the Kamala-Dhalkebar-Pathlaiya road section of the East-West Highway, Garjang Khola small hydropower project, Balefi Khola hydropower project, and the construction of the Armed Police Force Nepal’s training academy, gulm, and Border Out Posts (BOPs).

Similarly, the Cabinet has granted approval to present three important bills in the Federal Parliament. The bill to amend and integrate the law relating to the Federal Civil Service, the bill to amend the Animal Slaughterhouse and Meat Inspection Act, 2055, and the bill to amend the Act Relating to the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, 2074 will be registered in parliament.

The meeting has also promoted and appointed two joint secretaries of the civil administration to the gazetted special class (secretary) position. Awas Shrestha Karna, Joint Secretary in the Nepal Administrative Service, has been promoted to Secretary and appointed as the Principal Secretary of the Office of the Chief Minister and Council of Ministers of Gandaki Province. Similarly, Dr. Jagdishwar Karmacharya of the Nepal Engineering Service has been promoted to Secretary and appointed as Secretary of the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation.

Speaking with journalists after the announcement of the decisions, Spokesperson Pokharel claimed that former Chief Justice Cholendra Shamsher Jabara has not been arrested or taken into custody. He stated that he was rescued and kept in a safe place keeping in mind security sensitivity at the request of the family. Speaking on the sports sector, Minister Pokharel mentioned that players have been affected as domestic leagues could not be operated for a long time, and informed that the government is preparing to operate domestic leagues. He also stated that work has been advanced to construct sports infrastructure at 27 locations across the country to strengthen the foundation of the sports sector.