Minister Mahara returns home from IMF, WBG meet

KATHMANDU: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Krishna Bahadur Mahara on Monday returned home after attending the International Monetary Fund and World Bank Group annual meeting held in Washington DC, capital of the United States.

In a briefing to journalists upon his arrival, Minister Mahara said he had broached the subjects in connection to world's poverty, inequality, Nepal's development and support for reconstruction during the annual meeting.

Minister Mahara said he had sought further support after apprising the participants of the progress in the post-quake reconstruction. The donors inquired into how the Nepal Government planned to dole out the additional Rs 100,000 to the quake-stricken families to build their destroyed homes, the Minister added.

Representatives from 179 countries took part in the annual meeting.

Minister Mahara had also held informal talks with representatives of the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank and high officials of the other financial institutes on the sidelines of the meeting.

Minister Mahara had led a seven-member Nepali delegation which left Kathmandu on October 4.

The delegation included Finance Secretary Shanta Raj Subedi, Nepal Rastra Bank Governor Dr Chiranjibi Nepal, and Chief Personal Secretary Himal Sharma, among others.

The annual meeting was also attended by top officials of the Nepali diplomatic mission in the US.