House panel directs govt to form Reconstruction Authority soon

Kathmandu, August 3

The Development Committee of the Legislature-Parliament has instructed the government to form the Reconstruction Authority at the earliest to expedite reconstruction works in the aftermath of the devastating quakes of April and May.

The parliamentary panel today said the slow pace in formation of the Authority has affected the momentum of reconstruction drive.

The government has earmarked Rs 91 billion for the reconstruction drive, but it is unlikely to be fully utilised due to delay in formation of the Authority, according to Rabindra Adhikary, chairman of the Development Committee.

He said that the development partners, who have pledged billions of rupees for the reconstruction, will lose their faith in the government if it fails to timely form the Reconstruction Authority, which is necessary to give impetus to the reconstruction drive.

In the discussion with concerned ministries that have been allocated reconstruction budget and National Planning Commission (NPC) — the apex planning body of the government — lawmakers criticised the government for its failure in providing temporary rehabilitation to the victims of quakes as well as floods and landslides.

Lawmaker Anita Devkota urged equal treatment for the quake victims and floods and landslides victims. Other lawmakers also raised the issue that cash incentives for the temporary shelters have not been distributed properly.

Similarly, the parliamentary panel sought early implementation of National Land Use Policy and to conduct the study of the probable geological hazards in the quake-hit districts and shift the settlements that are at risk.

Finance minister, forest minister along with officials from NPC, prime minister’s office, physical infrastructure and transport ministry, land reform ministry and home affairs ministry had participated in the meeting of the parliamentary committee. They were directed to take the rehabilitation and reconstruction works seriously.

In the meeting, Finance Minister Ram Sharan Mahat clarified that the government has received data that 700,000 private houses were fully damaged in the earthquakes instead of early assessment of 400,000, which has caused problems in distributing the announced cash incentives for the temporary shelters. As per him, the Ministry of Home Affairs has been screening the data of damaged households and the compensation announced by the government will be distributed properly.

He also assured that the government will provide equal treatment to the floods and landslide victims, as it has done for the quake victims.

He also asserted that the Reconstruction Authority will be formed soon. The Reconstruction Authority will deal with the obstacles that might arise in implementation of the reconstruction projects and the concerned ministries and department will implement the projects, as per him.

“The delay in formation of the Reconstruction Authority may give the impression that the reconstruction drive is losing steam, but we are serious regarding this and will appoint the CEO of the Authority as soon as possible,” Mahat said.

During the meeting, NPC Member Govinda Nepal floated the idea of NPC playing the role of a coordinator for the reconstruction projects that are going to be implemented by the concerned ministries until the Reconstruction Authority is formed.