Kathmandu, February 8

The National Reconstruction Authority today said that its work was hugely affected due to the interests of various donor and aid agencies.

Briefing the Public Accounts Committee of the Parliament on the progress on post-quake reconstruction, NRA Secretary Sanjaya Sharma said the donors’ condition to spend funds only in areas designated by them had affected reconstruction work.

“We have been compelled to spend grant in districts, VDCs and local areas selected by the donors,” said Sharma.

Responding to lawmakers’ queries, he further said this situation was a result of government’s low funding of reconstruction projects. “Reconstruction has suffered due to the lengthy and sluggish process of fund transfer from other public sectors,” he added.

The NRA has also been struggling hard due to lack of financial, human and technical resources to monitor donor activities. According to NRA Spokesperson Yam Lal Bhusal, most of the Rs 106 billion mobilised so far for reconstruction efforts has come from donors.

PAC members Ramhari Sharma, Pashupati Chaulagai and Rajan KC criticised the government for taking ahead reconstruction projects under directions from donor agencies.

Sharma noted that the government was yet to provide budget to rebuild as many as 4,868 quake-damaged schools and educational institutions. Most of the school buildings in quake-affected districts had collapsed in the April 25 earthquake.

NRA Chief Executive Officer Govinda Raj Pokhrel said lack of enough human resources posed another hurdle. “We need more than 60,000 trained masons to rebuild quake-damaged structures,” he said, adding that NRA had been finding it difficult to train workers.

The NRA has requested the Center for Technical Education and Vocational Training to manage skilled labourers for reconstruction work.

Likewise, rebuilding efforts have also been affected due to lack of adequate supply of construction material.

Meanwhile, the House panel directed the NRA to release the second and third instalments of housing grants to quake victims within three months.

The panel also criticised the government for the delay in releasing funds for reconstruction.

Another member of the committee Sarbendra Nath Shukla suggested to NRA to mobilise retired engineers in reconstruction.