PM Deuba directs for timely completion of remaining Reconstruction Works

Kathmandu / Dec. 22: Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has directed the bodies concerned to complete the remaining reconstruction works of projects handed over to them in time.

PM Deuba who is also the Chairperson of the National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) Directive Committee gave this instruction in its 21st meeting today. The meeting was presided over by PM Deuba.

On the occasion, he gave assurances that there would not be a shortage of budget for carrying out the remaining reconstruction works. The PM also thanked the entire national and international community who extended cooperation for the reconstruction of structures damaged due to the 2015 Gorkha Earthquake and for rehabilitation of the displaced families.

Vice-Chair of the Directive Committee and CPN (UML) leader Subas Nembang suggested keeping the experiences and lessons learned from the reconstruction campaign in institutional memory, stressing on making the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) more autonomous and high-powered.

NRA Chief Executive Officer Sushil Gyewali, explaining the achievements from the reconstruction drive, suggested taking forward the disaster resilience development as an integral part of the national development policy. He said the NDRRMA should be invested with special legal authority and financial management. It should be provided with the required human resources as well, he stressed.

Today’s meeting of the NRA Directive Committee also took a decision regarding the transfer of the NRA’s activities and obligations, liabilities, assets, deeds, documents and particulars. With this, the facilitation, coordination, and monitoring of the works related to reconstruction and rehabilitation carried out by NRA and handed over to and being carried out through various ministries, departments and bodies would now be done through NDRRMA.

Likewise, it was informed in the meeting that NDRRMA was given the responsibility of preparing the integrated financial report of the NRA’s current and capital expenditures for the fiscal year 2021/22 and carrying out the auditing.

It is stated that the NDRRMA shall also oversee the earthquake shelter reconstruction project under implementation as per the agreement with the World Bank as well as the works related to technical assistance, recompense and report concerning MDTF.

According to NRA, the Department of Urban Development and Building Construction under the Ministry of Urban Development shall look after the physical construction works of the Dharahara, Singhadurbar, Shantibatika section of Ranipokhari, Harihar Bhawan and the Ranoddip Durbar under the Narayanhiti Museum which the NRA is directly supervising at present.

The Ranipokhari which has been rebuilt will be handed over to the Kathmandu Metropolitan City Office.

The related registers and documents under the Central Project Implementation Unit (Building), the Central Project Implementation Unit (Education), and the Central Project Implementation Unit (Grant Management and

Local Infrastructure) have already been handed over to the ministries and departments concerned in the second week of September.

The meeting has expressed happiness over the successful convening through virtual and physical means of the International Conference on Nepal’s Reconstruction on December 7-9 in Kathmandu even amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. It also thanked the representatives and delegates including the foreign affairs ministers, ministers, and deputy ministers of various countries as well as the representatives of several bilateral and multilateral donor agencies who addressed the Conference by virtual means or by being physically present.

Present in the meeting today was Minister for Education, Science and Technology Devendra Paudel, Minister for Urban Development Ram Kumari Jhankri, Chief Secretary Shanker Das Bairagi, NDRRMA Chief Executive Anil Pokharel, the Secretaries of the NRA and various ministries, the members of the Directive Committee and the NRA Executive Committee members, among other officials.

The National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) was established with the main objective of rapid reconstruction of the physical damages caused by the massive earthquakes of April 25 and May 12, 2015, and their aftershocks.

It was officially established with the appointment of Gyewali as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) on 25 December 2015, according to Article 3 of the Act Related to the Reconstruction of Earthquake Affected Structures, 2015.

According to Article 3(2) of the Act Related to the Reconstruction of Earthquake Affected Structures, 2015, the jurisdiction/scope of work of the NRA shall be as specified by the Government of Nepal by notification in the Nepal Gazette. Accordingly, as per the notification in the Nepal Gazette by the Government of Nepal, 32 districts, including 14 highly affected and 18 less affected districts, fall under the scope of work of the NRA.

The NRA’s term is coming to an end on December 24. RSS