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Nepalese gov't underfire for rebuilding delay

Xinhua, July 30, 2015 Adjust font size:

The Nepalese government has faced criticism for its "indecision" to bring the National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) into operation after more than three months of the April 25 devastating earthquakes.

The 11-member government body to be spearheaded by the prime minister will comprise of four ministers, vice-chairperson of the National Planning Commission, a Chief Executive Officer (CE0), an incumbent government official, three experts and the Chief Secretary of the Nepal government.

The government has yet to appoint the CEO and the three experts at the authority on the basis of power sharing among the ruling parties.

The authority is designed to supervise works related to the post-quake reconstruction for the next five years.

According to government sources, Prime Minister Sushil Koirala is in favor of the incumbent vice-chairperson of the National Planning Commission Govinda Raj Pokharel to appoint him as the CEO of the authority.

Similarly, Former Foreign Minister Madhav Ghimire and Nepal Army's retired Lieutenant General Pawan Bahadur Pande are in the fray to get the coveted post, the source added. The government has recently introduced an Ordinance on the Authority for Reconstruction of Structures Damaged by Earthquake which President Ram Baran Yadav later issued paving the way to formulate the reconstruction authority.

The dilly-dallying in bringing the authority into operation has further delayed works related to recovery and reconstruction in the aftermath of the earthquakes of April and May in the Himalayan nation, experts said.

"The authority should have been come into operation a month earlier. The delay in giving full shape to the authority has further created suspicion to the earthquake-hit people on whether it really works once it takes a full shape," political analyst and former lawmaker Hari Roka told Xinhua.

He said the authority cannot work for country's rebuilding if the CEO and experts are appointed from among the retired bureaucrats.

"It needs a person to become the CEO who really can take a right decision on time, mobilize resources, take confidence of the people and accordingly complete the task of reconstruction successfully in the next five years," Roka said.

Nepal will get such an authority after the massive earthquake and aftershocks struck the Himalayan nation on April 25, killing around 9,000 people and leaving 22,000 injured with thousands of houses destroyed or damaged.

Nepal needs 6.7 billion U.S. dollars in short and medium terms for recovery of sectors including education, health and tourism, according to a report of the Post Disaster Needs Assessment carried out by the National Planning Commission. Endi