Sri Lanka pledges $1.5 million in aid for the recovery of Nepal

Kathmandu: Sri Lanka has pledged US$ 1.5 million in aid for the recovery of Nepal after the deadly April 25 earthquake and the subsequent aftershocks that ravaged the Himalayan country.

Sri Lanka made its pledge to aid the recovery efforts of Nepal during the International Conference on Nepal’s Reconstruction held at Hotel Soaltee in Kathmandu on Thursday.

During the conference donor countries have pledged US$4.4 billion in aid, half of which in grants and the other half as loans, for the recovery bid of Nepal.

India has announced the largest amount in aid - US $ 1 billion, while China has pledged US$ 760 million both in loans and grants.

Minister of Disaster Management, A.H.M Fowzie accompanied by the Secretary for Resettlement and Reconstruction Affairs represented Sri Lanka at the international donor conference.

At the Conference, Sri Lanka has undertaken to reconstruct two heritage temples that were damaged by the earthquake - the ‘Anandakuti Vihar’ and the ‘Rato Macchindranath Hindu Temple’. Following the devastating earthquake, Sri Lanka actively participated in the relief and rescue operations by dispatching teams of military doctors, nurses and rescue workers.