KATHMANDU, OCTOBER 11 Former finance minister Yubaraj Khatiwada said all three tiers of the government had been working in tandem to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Speaking at the second world knowledge conference organised by the Non-Resident Nepalis Association yesterday, he said the necessary budget had been allocated for management of quarantine and isolation centres. Nepali Congress leader Nabindra Raj Joshi urged the government to work in a concerted manner to revive the economy. He also urged the non-resident Nepalis to make the best use of their knowledge in Nepal. Founding Chairperson of NRNA Upendra Mahato said the government should wholeheartedly support the medium and small scale industries and their promoters. “The government should also conduct a survey to revive the economy which has been shaken due to the pandemic,” he added. Vice-chairman of the National Planning Commission Dr Puspa Raj Kandel said knowledge, skills and vision of the non-resident Nepalis should be utilised properly for the development of the country. Former finance Minister of Cyprus Dr Michalis Saris said the countries with developed economic policy in the sector of health had been faring well. Various other speakers, including Dr Shobhakar Dhakal of Asian Institute of Technology, former ambassador Bhim Udas and Secretary at the Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizens Yam Kumari Khatiwada stressed the need to take concrete steps to revive and revitalise the Nepali economy. A version of this article appears in print on October 12, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.