Remaining post-earthquake reconstruction to be carried out through coordination

KATHMANDU, October 5: The remaining post-earthquake reconstruction works should be expedited in coordination among all the bodies concerned for their timely completion. This was the conclusion of a discussions programme among the House of Representatives, Development and Technology Committee, the National Reconstruction Authority and the Ministries and agencies which have been handed over the reconstruction works.

Committee president Kalyani Kumari Khadka said the discussions have been organized so that there is no problem in coordination in carrying out the remaining reconstruction works. She directed the ministries to mobilize adequate means and resources, including the human resources, for the timely completion of the reconstruction works.

Lawmaker Ganesh Kumar Pahadi said several reconstruction projects to be carried out by the Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction in the past were still not completed. He called attention of the ministries not to let that happen regarding remaining reconstruction works under their responsibility.

Similarly, lawmakers Kedar Sigdel, Asha Kumari BK, Yagya Raj Sunuwar, Gajendra Bahadur Mahat, Rajendra Kumar Rai and Bina Kumari Shrestha expressed that whatever reconstruction works have been carried out so far are satisfactory and there is need to further expedite the remaining works, including the rebuilding of monasteries and heritage sites, through better coordination.

The reconstruction experience so far has shown that Nepalis are also capable of carrying out the reconstruction with limited resources. This is also the time to test the capacity of our ministries, they opined. National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) Chief Executive Officer Sushil Gewali stressed that the remaining reconstruction works should be moved ahead as per the directives issued by the Directive Committee on August 25.

He said clear provisions have been made in course of the handover of the reconstruction works regarding the organizational structure, human resources and the required budget. Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority's chief executive officer Anil Pokharel said the reconstruction works had been carried out in the meantime in close coordination with the NRA and this has created the basis for continuing the works to be handed over following the completion of the NRA's term.

Finance Secretary Madhu Kumar Marasini shared that the budget for the reconstruction has been increased by Rs 4 billion through the Budget Replacement Bill.

He added that like in the previous years the government has given priority to the remaining reconstruction works as well. Education Secretary Ram Prasad Thapaliya, Secretary at the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration Ek Narayan Aryal, Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Yadav Prasad Koirala, Urban Development Secretary Dr Ramesh Prasad Singh expressed commitment to carry on the remaining reconstruction works handed over to the ministries in coordination with the NRA and related agencies.

Project Director of the Central Project Implementation Unit under the Ministry of education, Ram Sharan Sapkota, Director General of the Department of Archaeology Damodar Gautam, Director General of the Local Infrastructures Department Ishwor Chandra Marahattha, Project Deputy Director of the Central Project Implementation Unit (Houses and Buildings) under the Ministry of Urban Development, Koshnath Adhikari gave information regarding the details of the works handed over and the action plan, budget and human resources management for carrying out these works.

They expressed commitment to give priority to the reconstruction works. NRA Secretary Sushil Chandra Tiwari and other officials including the Joint Secretaries at different ministries hoped on the occasion that the reconstruction works would be completed within the deadline.