Kathmandu, June 24: The government has decided to approve grants and soft loans from the World Bank and other donor agencies.     

A meeting of the Council of Ministers held on Monday decided to accept 80 million US Dollars in loan to be received from the World Bank, the government spokesperson and Minister for Communications and Information Technology Rekha Sharma said.     

Likewise, the government approved the additional grant assistance of 8.1 million Pounds Sterling to be received from the British Government for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the earthquake damages caused in the Karnali Province.     

According to Minister Sharma, the cabinet meeting approved the visit of Finance Minister Barsha Man Pun for his participation in a high-level conference to be held in Beijing of China from July 11 to 13.     

Likewise, the cabinet meeting has decided to hand over the remaining amount of the fiscal equalization grants to the concerned local levels of the fiscal year 2080/081.     

The cabinet meeting has transferred the suspended Chief Secretary Dr Baikuntha Aryal to the National Planning Commission by creating a post equivalent to the Chief Secretary at the Commission, Minister Sharma said.     

After the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) filed a case of corruption at the Special Court, Chief Secretary Dr Baikuntha Aryal is automatically suspended from the post.     

The cabinet meeting also appointed Dr Ram Prasad Dhital as the Chair of the Electricity Regulations Commission and Dr Madhu Sudan Adhikari and Jhamak Prasad Sharma as the members.     

Likewise, Dr Rajendra Prasad Yadav was appointed the Executive Director of the National Dairy Development Board.     

Furthermore, the cabinet meeting has approved the visit of the Minister for Youths and Sports to South Korea to attend a programme there from June 28 to July 4, Minister Sharma informed the journalists.