Kathmandu, October 29

The National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) — the authority that is responsible for post-earthquake reconstruction activities — has expressed its commitment with the development partners to shift 60 per cent of the total quake-affected people to their own concrete houses before the upcoming monsoon starts.

Newly appointed Chief Executive Officer of NRA Yubaraj Bhushal has requested development partners to provide assistance to realise NRA’s plan of completing the reconstruction process as soon as possible.

Discussing with representatives from development partners here today Bhushal said, “We are still facing a shortage of masons for reconstruction process, hence donor agencies could help organise mason training programmes to accelerate reconstruction process.”

Bhushal also said that the reconstruction process would be continuing rapidly and there will be no delay in the ongoing work even though there has been a change in the leadership of the organisation.

On the occasion, representatives from United Nations, European Union, Japan International Cooperation Agency, Department for International Development UK, Asian Development Bank, China and India showed their commitment to cooperate in reconstruction process in future too.

This was the first time that Bhushal was speaking with development partners after his appointment as CEO of NRA on October 23. After the resignation of then CEO Govinda Raj Pokharel the government had appointed Bhushal for the remaining period. The government formed NRA to handle post reconstruction activities in January 2016 for a duration of five years.