KATHMANDU: The Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport has requested approximately Rs 64 billion for the reconstruction of infrastructure damaged by floods and landslides in August and September. The ministry submitted a formal proposal for Rs 63.79 billion to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority on Oct. 4.
The proposal outlines an immediate requirement of Rs 3.42 billion, with an additional Rs 60.37 billion allocated for medium and long-term reconstruction projects. The Department of Roads has requested the largest portion of the budget, totaling Rs 57.80 billion. Other requests include Rs 3.93 billion for local infrastructure, Rs 71.40 million for urban development and building construction, and Rs 1.33 billion for water supply and sewerage management.
Authority spokesperson Shanti Mahat stated that the plans submitted by the ministry will be presented to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. Following a decision by the council, which is chaired by the prime minister, the proposal will be forwarded to the Ministry of Finance for budget allocation. Mahat noted that the government will determine the disbursement of funds based on national financial capacity and project priority.
Given limited resources, reconstruction efforts will be prioritized into categories to ensure essential infrastructure is addressed first. According to the Ministry of Finance, the Prime Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund has collected Rs 15.54 billion to date.
