According to a news report, which cites a recent study done by National Planning Commission, supply, demand and income shocks due to the COVID-19 pandemic likely have pushed 1.2 million Nepali people below the poverty line (or an additional 4% of the population). This, according to the NPC, increases the number of poor people to 6.8 million (or about 22.7% of the population). The news report was published in Nayapatrika daily on 20 January 2021.
The NPC has also estimated that it would take NRs 668 billion for relief and recovery efforts. Specifically, NRs 69.84 billion for pandemic containment and relief, NRs 92.62 billion for employment, NRs114 billion for project continuity, NRs 111 billion for technology and its implementation, and NRs 73.44 billion for self-reliant initiatives. These are based on immediate term, medium term and long term needs projection. It states that NRs 242 billion is required for the immediate term, NRs 287 billion for medium term, and NRs 135 billion for the long term.
