July 14: Ministry of Finance has approved a file authorizing the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) to spend Rs 5 billion for Covid-18 related spending. This is the first decision of the newly appointed Minister for Finance Janardan Sharma. 
According to the MoF, Finance Minister Sharma approved the file to authorise the MoHP to spend Rs 5 billion on purchase of vaccines against Covid-19, setting up oxygen plant and procurement of HDU, ICU and ventilator. 
Finance Minister Sharma also approved another file for the spending on risk allowance for health workers mobilized to fight against Covid-19.
Earlier on Tuesday, Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba had appointed Minister Sharma, a leader of the CPN (Maoist Center), as the new finance minister along with three other new ministers.