Kathmandu: Nepal Sunday closed all borders with India and China for a week from Monday. A meeting of the Council of Ministers held at the official residence of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli in Baluwatar  took the decision to bar the human movements across the borders.

Minister for Finance Yubaraj Khatiwada, who is also looking after the portfolio of the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, said that the government had taken the decision after the border points in southern Nepal became highly sensitive. COVID-19 cases are on rise in India in recent days.

The government has also decided to create a central fund of Rs. 500 million to fight against the coronavirus within the country. Besides Ministers and PM’s donation, the government has also urged all common people from across the country to donate money as per their will, according to Minister Dr Khatiwada. “All the ministers will contribute their one month salary to the fund created for fighting the coronavirus,” Dr Khatiwada said.

The fund created by the government would be utilised in purchasing all health-related equipment like personal protective equipments (PPEs), masks, thermometer, ventilators, and other required tools and kits, he said.