KATHMANDU: The Public Account Committee (PAC) of the Legislature-Parliament has directed the government to distribute the second tranche of reconstruction grant to the earthquake survivors within three months.

After a meeting today, PAC Chairperson Dor Prasad Upadhyaya directed the National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) to work in such a way that the capital expenditure would not be frozen.

"The NRA formed after the 2015 earthquake for the reconstruction has so far spent only five percent of the total development budget. The mechanism should work so as to increase the capital spending and expedite reconstruction activities to bring back the earthquake survivors residing under the tent to their permanent residence," he noted.

The meeting also instructed the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers and NRA to keep PAC timely informed of the progress on reconstruction and rehabilitation works, mobilise reconstruction funds and deliver result-oriented performance by formulating necessary policies to that effect.

Speaking on the occasion, Nepali Congress lawmaker Minendra Rijal said there had been inadequate skilled human resources for reconstruction works in the quake-affected districts; so the urgent need was to provide training and produce human resource required for the purpose.

Lawmaker Mohan Bahadur Basnet drew the attention of the authorities concerned to correct the list of earthquake-affected people as many of the genuine survivors had not been enlisted yet.

Also speaking on the occasion were lawmakers Ram Hari Khatiwada, Rajendra Kumar KC, Pashupati Chaulagain, Rupa Maharjan, Usha Gurung, Manju Kumari Chaudhary, Hari Charan Saha, Bikas Lamsal, Yogendra Ghising Tamang, Radha Krishna Kandel, Dil Bahadur Nepali, Lagendra Mandal and Bad Saha Kurmi.

Responding to the queries raised by the lawmakers, NRA Chief Executive Officer Govinda Raj Pokharel complained that various ministries delayed sending the human resource interested to work under the NRA.

"The low capital spending is because of lack of technical human resources. The NRA is preparing to decentralise the mechanism to listen to complaints of victims. Ambassadors also have voiced their concern that the NRA mechanism did not perform well. There is no situation for employees to perform freely," Pokharel responded.

Pokharel further noted that the reconstruction of archaeological heritage monuments would not be undertaken properly by handing over the responsibility to contractors.

He was of the opinion that the main building of Singha Durbar should be protected in such a way that its historical structure would not be disfigured and visitors should be allowed to observe the site.