Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: The Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage has decided to provide Nepal with a $20 million grant (about Rs 3 billion) to support relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction in communities affected by floods in the August 26 Bhotekoshi floods.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forests and Environment said the fund made the decision at a special meeting on Thursday.
According to Maheshwar Dhakal, chief of the Climate Change Management Division at the ministry, the government had requested assistance from the fund’s board on August 31 to address the human and economic losses caused by the floods.
Dhakal, who is also Nepal’s national focal point for the fund and an alternate board member, said several rounds of discussions and coordination had been held among board members representing developed and developing countries to advance Nepal’s request.
As per the decision made by the fund, Nepal must prepare and submit a separate project proposal targeting communities affected by the floods.
The ministry said programs for affected communities can be implemented once the proposal is approved in accordance with the fund’s existing procedures.
According to the ministry, the August 26 floods directly affected more than 60,000 people from around 15,000 households. More than 1,500 died and more than 5,000 are missing after the disaster.
The ministry has described the fund’s decision as significant in addressing disaster-related losses in developing countries that are particularly vulnerable to climate change.
The grant is expected to help translate the concept of climate justice into practice.
