Aug 28, Kathmandu - Government has decided that all members of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers will contribute their one-month salary and allowances to the Prime Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund.

During a cabinet meeting held at Singha Durbar on Friday, Prime Minister and Cabinet Spokesperson and Education Minister Sasmita Pokhrel announced that the decision was made to pool the salaries of all ministers to support disaster relief efforts.

The cabinet also directed the Ministry of Finance to prepare relief and reconstruction packages for communities affected by floods in the districts along the Nepal-China border, including Rasuwagadhi and areas along the Tamor River and lower Toti zones.

Additionally, the government approved the procurement of 25,000 metric tons of DAP fertilizer from India through Jitujji procurement channels, with Agricultural Material Company Limited given the go-ahead, according to Pokhrel.

Spokesperson Pokhrel further informed that a total of 15 helicopters—six belonging to the Nepalese Army and nine from the private sector—are engaged in search and rescue operations. Four helicopters are also delivering food and non-food relief materials to affected settlements via air trips.

Regarding the flood situation in the Tamor River, Pokhrel mentioned that although water flow with sediments has increased slightly, there is no indication of a major dam failure. The rise in water levels is attributed to small glaciers and water overflows.

Furthermore, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is maintaining ongoing coordination with the Chinese government, and there is no immediate risk of a large-scale disaster crossing the border, he added.