Finance Minister emphasizes reconstruction without losing employment, production

PATAN, LALITPUR: Finance Minister Prakash Sharan Mahat has said human settlements should not be constructed in a way to ruin employment and production opportunities while reconstructing the earthquake-ravaged areas.

He said this at an interaction jointly organised by the people's representatives of the earthquake affected districts on the reconstruction of Jajarkot Ramidanda.

Minister Mahat said reconstruction should be taken ahead in the suitable places as per the expectation of the earthquake survivors. "The government is seriously working to keep citizens safe in order to make the rebuild efforts effective, the direct support of the local and province governments should be mechanised. It will not be easy to construct settlements in a way to lose employment and production," he added.

It is the responsibility of the federal government to allocate budget necessary for disaster management, he said, pledging to arrange expenses for earthquake area by collecting resources and means.

Though there is pressing need to work in budget limit, the government will support in the rebuild of earthquake-ravaged areas, Minister Mahat added.

He further shared coordination will be made with the representatives of neighbouring countries to collect aid for the reconstruction of quake-hit areas.

Also speaking on the occasion, former Finance Minister and lawmaker Janardan Sharma stressed the need for coordination and collaboration among all three tiers of governments to revitalise livelihood and rebound employment and skills.

Sharma underlined the need to construct integrated settlement in earthquake-affected areas and called for taking into consideration the environment protection and technology-friendly measures in reconstruction process.