Kathmandu, September 25

Chief Executive Officer of National Reconstruction Authority Sushil Gyawali today claimed that Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal was not dissatisfied with his work as reported by some media and added that the PM only wanted the NRA to expedite reconstruction work.

“The PM wants NRA to do a better job as a team,” he told THT.

Gyawali presented a report on the NRA’s functioning and changes he wanted to bring in its structure at NRA’s steering committee meeting held here today.

Gyawali told THT that the authority had failed to provide the first instalment of the grant to some quake-hit households for several reasons. He said some quake-hit households failed to receive the first instalment mainly because they didn’t have land ownership documents.

“Among the quake-hit are landless squatters. Some had built houses in trusts’ land while others need to produce their property partition documents,” Gyawali added.

Asked what structural changes he was seeking to expedite reconstruction work, Gyawali said under the existing structure one centre at sub-regional level was given the task of coordinating with at least three districts which should now be decentralised to quake-affected districts.

He said he also proposed to introduce changes to the staff management system in a way that could ensure timely completion of the given task.

“We also need to make policies on how we should provide Rs 3 lakh,” he said. The government has announced that it would provide Rs 3 lakh to each quake affected households as grant assistance.

Prime Minister Dahal’s Personal Secretary Ramesh Malla said the PM, who presided over the Steering Committee’s meeting, postponed today’s meeting of the Steering Committee for tomorrow as he had other important engagements.

The next meeting of the committee is scheduled for tomorrow. Gyawali said he presented a report on the overall situation of the functions performed by the authority till date.

According to a press release issued by the NRA, the CEO’s report dealt with its progress on reconstruction works, management of staff and challenges the authority has faced in expediting its reconstruction works.

In today’s meeting, secretaries of Ministry of Urban Development, Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development, Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Finance also presented their reports related to reconstruction work.

PM’s Personal Secretary Malla said the PM would take a decision on the proposal submitted by government’s officials tomorrow.