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Kathmandu, Jan 13: A government report has revealed that the September 8–9 Gen Z-led protests caused unprecedented losses across Nepal, affecting both public and private property. The high-level committee tasked with assessing the damage, led by National Planning Commission Secretary Ravilal Panth, valued total losses at Rs 84.45 billion—equivalent to 1.38 percent of GDP and 4.3 percent of the national budget. Of this, 53 percent involved public property, 40 percent private, and the remaining 7 percent community assets.

Buildings and vehicles were hit hardest. Nationwide, 2,671 buildings were damaged, nearly 80 percent government-owned, with losses totaling Rs 39.31 billion. Vandalism and arson destroyed 12,659 vehicles, costing Rs 12.93 billion. Other losses included physical assets (Rs 20.36 billion), cash and precious metals (Rs 2.81 billion), and temporary structures (Rs 7.01 billion). Bagmati Province bore the brunt, accounting for 66.5 percent of the total damage, with 74 percent of damaged buildings and 58 percent of vehicles located there.

The protests also disrupted economic activity, with Rs 13.87 billion lost in goods and services, and 2,999 people affected, including 2,353 who lost their jobs. Hotels, restaurants, and small businesses were among the hardest hit. Insurance coverage proved inadequate: only 4.9 percent of buildings and 22.1 percent of vehicles were insured, leaving the reconstruction burden on the state and owners.

Human costs were severe. The report confirms 77 deaths, nearly half aged 13–28, and 2,429 injuries, including 1,433 youths, highlighting the impact on the younger generation.

The committee estimates Rs 36.30 billion is needed to rebuild public infrastructure, with major allocations for the federal parliament (Rs 3.15 billion), Prime Minister’s Office (Rs 2.26 billion), Home Affairs agencies (Rs 1.33 billion), and Ministry of Health (Rs 1.03 billion). Recommendations include completing reconstruction in three years, establishing a central recovery fund, making insurance mandatory for public assets, enforcing resilient building standards, providing relief to victims’ families, free treatment for the injured, and skill development programs for displaced workers.

The report underscores the scale of physical, economic, and human loss and signals the urgent need for better disaster preparedness, insurance coverage, and resilient infrastructure to prevent such setbacks in the future.

People’s News Monitoring Service