Repair of structures damaged during Gen Z protest will begin in two months: Khanal

KATHMANDU: Minister for Finance Rameshore Prasad Khanal has said that reconstruction of key structures damaged during the Gen Z protests will commence within two months.

Speaking at a meeting of the Federalism Enablement and National Concerns Committee of the National Assembly on Tuesday, Khanal said that the rebuilding of important structures inside Singha Durbar damaged during the protests will start in about two months. “As per the preliminary estimates, government infrastructure suffered losses worth around Rs 100 billion due to vandalism and arson during the protests,” Khanal said.

He added that Rs 80 million has so far been collected in the reconstruction fund established to restore structures damaged during the movement.

Khanal also informed the house committee that the government has reallocated funds by cutting budgets from scattered small projects to prioritize strategic infrastructure such as the Postal Highway, the Mid-Hills Highway, and the BP Highway.

According to Khanal, measures have been introduced to make public expenditure management and spending control standards more effective in line with the demands raised during the Gen Z movement.

Giving a brief snapshot of the economy, Khanal said that although income tax collection has decreased, overall revenue has increased. He added that although tourist arrivals declined in September following the Gen Z movement, the numbers have since risen significantly.