Donors pledge $3b in aid

International donors led by India and China pledged around $3 billion to rebuild quake-devastated Nepal yesterday, as the country's premier vowed "zero tolerance" of corruption and said all aid money would go to victims.

Nepal says it needs around $6.7 billion to recover from the April disaster, which killed more than 8,800 people, destroyed nearly half a million houses and left thousands in need of food, clean water and shelter.

At a meeting of foreign donors yesterday, India's Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj pledged $1 billion to finance reconstruction, while regional rival China promised 3 billion yuan ($483 million) in grant assistance.

Nepal's two giant neighbours have historically vied for influence in the Himalayan nation, and both were heavily involved in post-quake rescue and relief efforts.

Additional pledges of $600 million from the Asian Development Bank, $260 million from Japan, $130 million from the US, $100 million from the EU as well as an earlier announcement of up to $500 million from the World Bank have now taken total assistance pledged to around $3 billion.

The government wants all aid to be channelled through a new state body, raising concerns among some international donors that bureaucracy and poor planning will hamper reconstruction.

Prime Minister Sushil Koirala urged delegates to "work with us, the government of Nepal" and vowed "zero tolerance toward corruption".