Kathmandu, May 6

Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba has formed a 14-member ‘Economy-focused Special Committee’ to study and analyse the impacts of COVID-19 pandemic on the economic sector of the country.

Recently, a Central Committee meeting of the main opposition party had decided to form the committee and sub-committees to conduct studies of various sectors affected by COVID-19. The committee is headed by former finance minister Ram Sharan Mahat as coordinator.

Its other members include Mahesh Acharya, Gyanendra Bahadur Karki, Narayan Khadka, Minendra Rijal, Chinkaji Shrestha, Dip Kumar Upadhyay, Bharat Shah, Udaya Shumsher Rana, Prithvi Ral Ligal, Shankar Sharma, Jagadish Chandra Pokharel, Govinda Pokharel and Swarnim Wagle.

A press release issued by the NC said the committee comprising former ministers and economic experts would develop its short-term, mid-term and longterm visions with special focus on immediate economic package and priority areas for the upcoming fiscal budget.

According to the NC, the committee will conduct a micro-analysis of the present economic impacts triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic and also suggest that the government prepare the upcoming fiscal policy and budget accordingly.

Similarly, it will forward suggestions on the kind of relief and economic packages the government should announce and how they could be distributed in an effective manner on the basis of various sectors affected by COVID-19.

A version of this article appears in e-paper on May 7, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.