Quake-hit Nepal to train 50,000 people for reconstruction

KATHMANDU: Earthquake-hit Nepal is planning to train 50,000 workers in a bid to carry out massive reconstruction works, the biggest skill development programme as the country braces for the slowest economic growth rate in eight years.

Delivering the annual budget, Finance Minister Ram Sharan Mahat Mahat said the government will train thousands of people to work as carpenters, plumbers, electricians and masons.

"This will help the country to adjust the shortage of labourers as hundreds of thousands of youths travel to the Middle East and other foreign countries to work in various sectors," he said yesterday.

Mahat said the country's economy is likely to grow at 3 per cent this fiscal year, the lowest rate since 2007.

Officials said that the reconstruction work will help boost growth to 6 per cent next year.

The government has allocated USD 910 million this year to rebuild infrastructure, public buildings, monuments, and private homes which were destroyed by the earthquakes.

The Nepal government has said it needs USD 6.6 billion to rebuild the country after twin earthquakes hit the country, in April and May.

The powerful earthquake killed nearly 9,000 people, injured 23,000 people and damaged more than 500,000 buildings leaving hundreds of thousands of people jobless.