Kathmandu, August 25: The post-earthquake reconstruction works being carried out by the National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) will now be handed over to the concerned ministry, department and agencies.
The 20th Steering Committee meeting of the NRA held today under the chairmanship of its Chairperson and Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba decided to begin the handover process immediately.
As per the decision, the financial and technical management of the private housing reconstruction and settlement development will now be handed over to the Urban Development and Building Construction (DUBC) under the Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD). The DUBC will also take the responsibility of reconstruction of government and public buildings, health institutions and the reconstruction of Gumbas being looked after by the Central Level Project Implementation Unit (Building).
Similarly, the works related to disaster risk reduction and management, management of institutional memory of the NRA, legal and policy level works related to the remaining works of reconstruction and rehabilitation and coordination, facilitation and monitoring will now be taken care of by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA).
The reconstruction of schools and university buildings will be handed over to the Ministry of Education, Department of Education and coordination offices.
The Department of Archaeology (DoA) will look after the reconstruction of cultural heritage sites and more than 100 years old Gumbas that are yet to start reconstruction.
The Department for Local Development will be responsible for the reconstruction of roads and bridges and the Gumbas that are not under the Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD) and the DoA.
With a small team in the present central structure, the NRA will continue to ensure the reconstruction of Dharahara, Ranipokhari, Singh Durbar and Ranoddip Durbar situation within the compound of Narayanhiti Durbar Museum and maintain its financial audit. It will also facilitate the handover process, carry out auditing and organize the planned International Conference on Nepal’s Reconstruction (ICNR).
Addressing the Steering Committee meeting, Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba expressed satisfaction over the achievements made by the NRA in the post-earthquake reconstruction and thanked the NRA.
Representing the leader of the main opposition in the House of Representatives leader of the CPN-UML and former Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa congratulated the NRA for its achievements made so far. He also stressed that the present institutional structure and the working procedure should remain as far as possible to continue the reconstruction works.
Chief Executive Officer of the NRA Sushil Gyewali had earlier presented the latest situation in the reconstruction and the handover working procedures.
He had presented three options for the handover process – to carry out present works by continuing the tenure of existing technical manpower and handover after the NRA tenure; to carry out works till the NRA tenure by reducing the number of staffs and handover after the NRA tenure; and to manage necessary manpower and organizational structures at concerned agencies before handing over the responsibilities immediately.
CEO Gyewali also clarified that the third option could create risks in receiving the 12 billion rupees donors’ assistance that has been signed and impact the special technical support provided to the vulnerable population to rebuild their houses.
Despite that, the Steering Committee meeting decided to take the risk and opt for the third option and start the handing over process immediately.
Secretary at the Ministry of Urban Development Dr. Ramesh Singh expressed commitment to take the responsibility of reconstructing private houses and other given tasks.
Secretary at the Ministry of Finance Madhu Kumar Marasini said that budget management would be easier if the handover process begins in the beginning of the fiscal year.
Those attend the Steering Committee meeting were Home Minister Bal Krishna Khand, Finance Minister Janardan Sharma, Vice-Chairperson of the National Planning Commission Dr. Biswo Poudel, Chief Secretary Shankar Das Bairagi, Chief Executive of the NDRRMA Anil Pokharel, members of the Steering Committee, secretaries of the concerned ministries and executive committee members of the NRA.
