The government has decided to increase the minimum pay of working journalists by 25 percent. A Cabinet on Sunday took the decision that all journalists and employees working at media houses would have their salary increased from coming October 18. 

Currently, the minimum wage of a working journalist is Rs 19,500 per month. 

After the meeting, the government Spokesperson and Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Gokul Prasad Baskota, shared that senior journalist Krishna Murari Bhandari was appointed as the Executive Chairman of the Gorkhapatra Corporation. 

According to him, General Manager of the Corporation Basanta Prakash Upadhyay was asked to furnish justification within three days, while the resignation submitted by Chairman Govinda Pokhrel approved. 

7-member taskforce 

A seven member taskforce has been formed for the protection of consumers, sugarcane farmers, and sugar mill. 

The taskforce is led by a member at the National Planning Commission who looks after agricultural sector. It has the members from various sectors representing the sugarcane farmers, sugar producers, consumers’ group, and joint secretaries from the ministries of finance, and industry. 

The Spokesperson Baskota further said the Finance Secretary was given authority to accept Rs 11.63 billion to be provided loan by the international development corporation of the World Bank Groups for augmenting investment in the energy sector. 

The meeting also accepted Rs 1.4 billion to be provided by Japan for the upgrading of roads in Sindhuli. Also, Dr Ramchandra Bhattarai would be nominated in the Board of Directors of Citizen’s Investment Fund and assigned as its chair. 

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and Foreign Minister Pradeep Gyawali informed the Cabinet meeting about Nepal’s participation in the 73rd session of the UNGA, PM Oli’s bilateral meetings with various heads of the States and governments and the talks on expansion of the relations. Also featured during the briefing was PM’s visit to Costa Rica.