Kathmandu May 1.

The Finance and Development Committee of the Gandaki State Assembly has held a discussion with secretaries of four different ministries of the state on works being done to control COVID-19 and impacts created by lockdown. The discussion was attended by four secretaries of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Planning, Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Development, Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Environment and Ministry of Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperatives. The dialogue focused on finding ways to reduce impacts caused by coronavirus, said the Committee’s President Dipak Koirala. On the occasion, Koirala directed participating secretaries to continue development works and projects despite lockdown, saying these works should not be halted in any pretexts. The Committee also suggested that the next fiscal year’s budget prioritizes health and agriculture sector. Rameshwor Dangal, secretary of the Ministry of Economy Affairs and Planning, said necessary plans and works of the state would be implemented underscoring the need for the implementation of federal government budget. Ishwor Marahatta, secretary of the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure, informed that the Ministry’s expenditure including both recurrent and capital was 34 percent until March 13. Dipak Kumar Khanal, secretary of the Ministry of Industry, Forest and Environment, said the Ministry’s expenditure was 33 percent. The Committee member duo, Indralal Sapkota and Bhagawat Prakash Malla, said the state government will continue previous projects that are to be implemented in the next year’s fiscal year