Kathmandu, April 3: Minister for Finance Dr Yubaraj Khatiwada has said control of the COVID-19 pandemic is a common responsibility of all- not only of the government. Dr Khatiwada said so during an interaction programme at the Finance Ministry on Friday with the Vice-Chairperson and members of the National Planning Commission, former vice-chairs and experts of health sector on the impacts of COVID-19 on economy and probable steps to be taken in the future.

On the occasion, Dr Khatiwada, who is also the Minister for Communications and Information Technology, said that time has come to jointly troubleshoot the common problems and urged all to perform responsibly from their respective fields.

He was of the view that the federal government had kept control of the COVID-19 infection and sending relief packages to the needy groups with top priority and holding talks and coordinating with all layers of governments, political parties and the private sector.

Few cases of COVID-19 in the country are the result of government’s timely intervention and the international community has praised this, Dr Khatiwada claimed. He was of the view that presence of the people’s representatives has helped reduce the risk of coronavirus in the country, adding that the local governments were actively mobilized in the control of infection and relief distribution.

The government would ensure security to the foreigners living in Nepal and the host countries would provide provisions for residence with security to Nepalis, adding that steps were being taken through diplomatic channels for the same.

The Finance Minister said that a team under the Vice-Chair of the NPC comprising experts was formed to revive the economy in the aftermath of the COVID-19.

Present on the occasion, former Vice-Chairman of NPC Dr Min Bahadur Shrestha suggested that programmes should be unveiled to create employment in the country and to provide relief packages to the low-wage earners and daily wage earners on time for their livelihood.

Former NPC Vice-Chairpersons Dr Shankar Sharma, Dr Jagadishchandra Pokharel, Dr Dineshchandra Devkota, Dr Swornim Wagle, health expert Dr Arjun Karki and others were also present during the interaction.