As hundreds of public and private properties were damaged and destroyed during the Gen Z protests last week, the interim government will launch a reconstruction drive soon, ministers say.

At present, various government agencies are collecting data on the property destroyed or damaged during the protest, with an aim to make it public soon.

There is a plan to launch a national awareness campaign for the reconstruction of damaged buildings, said Kulman Ghising, minister for Energy and Physical Infrastructure and Transportation, after inspecting the parliament building on Wednesday.

An enraged mob had destroyed the parliament building during last week's protests. Several key government buildings including the Office of the President, Singha Durbar, Parliament complex, the Supreme Court, the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority, and police units were destroyed and burnt down by the protesters.

Hundreds of government and public buildings outside Kathmandu were also damaged in ensuing incidents of arson and vandalism.

The government has decided to appeal to all Nepalis, both at home and abroad, to contribute towards national recovery, Ghising said.

If that is not enough, the government will make additional arrangements, he added.

“The damage is extensive—not just here in Kathmandu, but across the country. The assessment of that damage is underway and [a report] will be available soon,” he added. “The government has also initiated the process of allocating the budget necessary for the reconstruction of damaged structures.”

During an interaction with the business community on Tuesday, Finance Minister Rameshore Khanal said he is well aware of the problems faced by the private sector and the government will try its best to address the grievances of the private sector.

Khanal shared that a decision has been made to establish a fund for the reconstruction of the damage inflicted on both the public and private sectors, according to a finance ministry statement.

Since the problems of industrialists and business owners are also the government’s problems, an “integrated business recovery plan” will be introduced to address these issues, according to the ministry.

He further stated that the government is positive about providing relief through tax and monetary policies. Additionally, instructions have been given to all public employees to deliver services in such a way that, in the days to come, the private sector and citizens can feel the government’s presence through the quality of public services.

A meeting of government secretaries led by Chief Secretary Ek Narayan Aryal on Tuesday also instructed the relevant ministries and agencies to collect and prepare a database of the damaged physical infrastructure, machinery, vehicles, furniture, and communication systems, among others.

They asked the relevant ministries and government agencies to come up with suggestions on how to address these challenges, according to a statement issued after the meeting.

Likewise, the National Planning Commission is told to prepare a post-disaster need assessment (PDNA) report with the help of the finance ministry and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority.

The meeting also took other decisions regarding reconstruction, recovery, procurement, deduction of the government employees, and maintaining austerity in government spending, among others.

Ministers Khanal, Kulman Ghising, and Om Prakash Aryal inspected the federal parliament building that was burnt down on September 9 during the Gen Z movement.

On the very day he assumed office, Minister Ghising announced the launch of the campaign “Let’s build our infrastructure ourselves.”

He stated that the Ministry of Finance has been requested to open a separate account to tap support from the government, Nepalis living in the country, and those abroad, for the reconstruction efforts.

“A special fund will be instituted for this. With the agreement of the Ministry of Finance, a special fund will be created through a Cabinet decision,” said Minister Ghising. He expressed hope that with their contribution, all Nepalis living abroad will feel a sense of ownership in the reconstruction process.

“We are the ones who will rebuild it. Contribute whatever you can. I assure you it will be used properly,” Ghising urged.

The finance ministry is trying to save and manage Rs100 billion by trimming down the number of small projects proposed in the annual budget unveiled in July.

According to Minister Khanal, this amount will be utilised for the upcoming elections and reconstruction of the damaged property and infrastructure.

To find resources for the reconstruction of damaged structures and for the upcoming elections, the finance ministry has also formed a three-member task force.

As per the preliminary report, as many as 270 government offices were completely damaged in vandalism and arson during the Gen Z protests, while 360 government offices were partially damaged.