KATHMANDU: The government has decided to accept more than USD 15 million in international grant assistance aimed at supporting environmental restoration, climate-resilient farming, and sustainable livelihoods.
Announcing the Cabinet decisions on Friday at Singha Durbar, government spokesperson and Minister for Communication and Information Technology Jagadish Kharel said the funding would be mobilized through United Nations agencies.
According to Kharel, the Cabinet approved acceptance of a grant worth USD 2.24 million from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) via the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to implement a project on forest and mountain ecosystem restoration in Sudurpaschim Province.
Similarly, a larger grant of USD 8.7 million, also from GEF through FAO, will be used for a project focused on climate-resilient transformation of rice-based farming and food systems in central Nepal.
In addition, the government endorsed acceptance of USD 4.19 million in assistance from the UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) for the implementation of a local climate-adaptive livelihood facilities program.
The Cabinet also approved the participation of Finance Minister and Finance Secretary in the upcoming joint annual meeting of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in the United States.
Meanwhile, the government extended by 45 days the deadline of a task force formed to harmonize pay and benefits of officials and employees in state-funded institutions.
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