Kathmandu, April 17
Finance Minister Yuba Raj Khatiwada says he had not imagined the lockdown imposed to control the coronavirus outbreak would last such long, suggesting the government is not well-prepared to recover its financial impact anytime soon.
However, a hopeful Khatiwada claims the government would be able to devise appropriate strategies in partnership with the stakeholders including international donor agencies, banks and financial institutions, and private businesses.
In an interaction with representatives of the Confederation of Nepalese Industries in Kathmandu on Thursday, Khatiwada said, “We thought the period of infection risk would not be such long. We thought we would not enter into another phase (of lockdown). Once the lockdown has been extended for the second phase, it seems the problems will increase.”
“But some of our sectors can go for recovery immediately once the risk of coronavirus infection decrease,” he stated, “Agriculture, construction, and manufacturing to some extent will move forward immediately. It will take time for foreign tourists to come, but the internal tourism activities will surge once the situation is normal because people will be tired of staying home for months.”
Khatiwada informed that he had directed banks and businesses also prepare accordingly.
Meanwhile, the minister assured that the government would help the industrialists address their concerns such as paying salaries to the workers and insurance to the banks.
