KATHMANDU: The government has released Rs 4.85 million to cover the immediate medical expenses of those injured during the Gen-Z protests in September, the Ministry of Home Affairs said on Tuesday.
Based on an initial report from the Ministry of Health and Population, each injured person will receive Rs 20,000 as immediate relief. The first tranche of funds has already been dispatched to nine districts, Jhapa, Morang, Sunsari, Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Kaski, Surkhet, Kailali, and Dadeldhura, according to the Home Ministry.
The Cabinet had decided on September 15 to provide temporary financial support to the injured before the technical committee under the Health Ministry completes the official classification of injuries. Once the classification is finalized, further relief will be distributed accordingly.
So far, the Health Ministry has provided details of 2,429 injured individuals to the Home Ministry. Identification cards for 2,876 people injured during the protests on September 8 and 9 have been sent to district administration offices, with 38 distributed directly through hospitals.
Special Gen-Z Clinics have been set up in designated hospitals to provide follow-up care, including free transport for patients requiring additional treatment. The Health Ministry has also established a hotline and appointed liaison officers to coordinate medical support.
Officials said over Rs 1 billion has already been spent on free medical treatment for the injured. Prime Minister Sushila Karki last week instructed Health Secretary Bikash Devkota and other officials to ensure that no victim is deprived of care.
The Home Ministry also said a technical committee, including representatives of the injured, is being formed under the Health Ministry to assess cases based on medical conditions and recommend long-term rehabilitation measures.
Rs 15 lakh aid for families of deceased
The government has provided Rs15 lakh each to families of 53 people confirmed dead in the protests. Of these, 49 families have already received the funds, while payments to four others are being processed.
The Cabinet had earlier decided to provide Rs10 lakh in compensation and an additional Rs5 lakh for funeral and related expenses to each bereaved family. The relief, however, will not cover inmates who died while attempting to escape custody during the unrest.
In coordination with local authorities, the government also arranged free transport, including helicopter services in remote districts such as Sankhuwasabha, Dhankuta, Siraha, Sunsari, and Udayapur, to deliver bodies to families.
To honor those killed, the government observed a national day of mourning on September 17, lowering the national flag to half-mast and declaring a public holiday.
In a symbolic gesture, the Cabinet has also approved the construction of a “Gen-Z Awakening Memorial Park” in the Kathmandu Valley to commemorate those who lost their lives in the movement.
According to the Home Ministry, a total of 76 people died during the Gen-Z protests, including three police personnel and 53 identified civilians. The identities of 12 individuals remain unconfirmed, while ten prisoners were killed during attempted escapes and one foreign national also lost his life.
A judicial commission led by former Special Court Chair and retired High Court judge Gauri Bahadur Karki is currently investigating the state response, violence, and human rights violations during the protests.
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