The government has decided to raise the insurance coverage of mountaineering guides and Everest Base Camp workers to US $ 15,000 from the earlier US $ 10,000.

For the victims of Friday's fatal Everest avalanche which claimed 16 lives, the government has decided to make an arrangement on compensating the increased insurance coverage amount as financial support.  

The medical insurance coverage has also been raised to US $ 4,000 from the earlier amount of US $ 3,000. Likewise, the government has decided to construct a monument in the memory of the deceased mountaineers. For this, necessary financial arrangement will be made through the next fiscal year's budget.

Likewise, the government has decided to allocate five percent royalty collected from the mountaineering activities to set up a mountaineers' relief fund. The amount will be mobilised from 30 percent royalty which is currently being allocated to the respective local community.

The Nepal Mountaineering Association will make all the arrangements necessary for the education of the victim's family. The Tourism Ministry in a press statement issued today said that it is making necessary arrangements to provide additional financial support for the victim's family and the injured.

Similarly, the government will arrange the remaining fund that was insufficient to pay the cost of chartering helicopters used during the rescue and search operation under the existing insurance coverage.

The Tourism Ministry has asked the high-altitude Sherpa guides and support staffs to continue the Everest expedition.