Kathmandu: The government of Japan is to provide Rs 10.39 billion 'policy loan' assistance for Nepal's economic development and productivity.

Speaking at a press conference organized at Singha Durbar on Thursday to publicize the decisions of the cabinet meeting, Minister for Communication and Information technology, Gyanendra Bahadur Karki, informed that a cabinet meeting held on January 5 decided to accept the loan assistance.

The meeting also decided to approve Police Regulations (Ninth Amendment)-2078, appoint Yadu Lal Kharel as the Additional Chief Investigation Director of the National Investigation Department to be effective from January 7 and fix minimum purchase price of sugarcane at Rs 520 per quintal for the current fiscal.

The cabinet meeting also took decision to forward preliminary activities of land acquisition for the different power distribution centers and transmission lines, designate Chief of Drug Control Section of the Home Ministry and Assistant Chief District Officer of all District Administration Offices as drug control officer, and provide Rs 300,000 financial assistance to acid attack survivor Muskan Khatun, according to Minister Karki, who is also the government’s spokesperson.

The meeting has given approval for partnership agreement for the construction of a motorable bridge over Mahakali river of Darchula linking Nepal and India and for the appointment of Surendra Basent of Jhapa as Vice-Chairperson of the National Youth Council. Similarly, the cabinet meeting also decided to give first priority to cutting down trees that lie within the area of large projects of national priority and carrying out research to identify carbon reserves in the forest area.

Minister Karki said that the government also decided to publish regular edition of Nepal Gazette on Monday and Thursday every week, give permission to Gorkhapatra for land acquisition for the construction of go-down building and to promote Gazetted (first-class) Joint-Secretary Krishna Bahadur Raut to the post of special class.

Responding to a query of journalists, Minister Karki clarified that the government is committed towards the right to information and that the government's decisions were not restricted.