Finance Minister Dr. Yuba Raj Khtiwada said that lock down will continue for some time to come saying that the government is not in a situation to relax nationwide lockdown after April 27 reports The Rising Nepal.

"Reopening our border points, and loosening the lockdown depends upon our neigbhouring country's risk factor of the virus and our own internal preparation and action plan taken to contain the virus and its transmission," Minister Dr Khatiwada said while speaking at a press conference organised to make the Cabinet decisions of April 20 public.

Dr. Khatiwada, who is also the government spokesperson and looking after the portfolio of the Ministry for Communication and Information Technology, said the nationwide lockdown was not imposed by the government due to the country's own problem but due to alarming global situation created by the virus.

“The government in its upcoming policy and programme, before introducing the budget of the new fiscal year on May 28 (Jestha 15), would announce different short- and mid-term policies to address the affected economic sectors of the country like agriculture, industrial and business sectors,” sad minister Dr Khatiwada .

According to The Rising Nepal, minister Dr Khatiwada said that the government would prepare the new budget by arranging and searching additional areas of financial sector as revenue collection situation of the country had worsened due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At present, limited government employees at Finance Ministry are working on the new budget, he said.

The import of essential goods, fuels and medicines has not been hampered as of today, he said. "We have medicines in stock for three to four months," he said. Kathmandu consumes 1/3 of the total imports of the country, he said. There are some problems related to the unorganised sector (labourers) who are currently facing some sort of problem. But the federal government has instructed the local bodies to address the problem of labourers and their family, he said.

According to the federal government's information, so far, 600,000 people from the unorganizsd sector (daily wage earners) have received relief package.

Nirmala Maharjan: Nirmala Maharjan is associated with CARE Nepal as Gender Equality Diversity and Social Norms Specialist. She has completed her Master in English Literature and Post-Graduation in Women's Studies. She has a keen interest on gender, social inclusion and governance issues.

Bindu Sharma: Bindu Sharma is a graduate of international cooperation and sociology. She is active in the field of women’s human rights in Nepal and is majorly interested in issues related to gender , migration and economy