Nepal's parliament approves quake reconstruction bill

Nepal's parliament approved new bill Wednesday to allow the government to spend billions of dollars pledged by foreign donors on reconstruction for people who lost their homes during a devastating earthquake earlier this year.

The bill allowed the formation of the National Reconstruction Authority, which will collect and spend money from donors for post-quake reconstruction. Foreign donor agencies and countries have pledged 4.1 billion U.S. dollars in aid to help Nepal rebuild after April's quake.

The authority is supposed to handle the rebuilding of collapsed houses, office buildings, schools, hospitals and roads, and will be empowered to bypass spending rules to get the work done quickly.

The crucial bill tabled by the Nepali government was endorsed unanimously during a regular session of the parliament.

The bill, which was stuck at the House due to months-long bickering between the two major political parties, Nepali Congress and CPN (UML), over the plum post of Chief Executive Officer of the Reconstruction Authority among other provisions, has finally been passed by the House.

Minister for Law Agni Kharel said that the government will appoint a Chief Executive Officer for the Reconstruction Authority.

"The government will begin the reconstruction and rehabilitation process as early as possible," the minister said.

Initially, the Reconstruction Authority was formed in June through an ordinance following the International Conference on Nepal's Reconstruction. However, it could not come into operation due to lack of law.

During the conference held in Nepali Capital Kathmandu, over 4 billion U.S. dollars was pledged by foreign countries and international donors to support Nepal in the rebuilding process, but the country had not been able to spend a single penny due to its failure to create the competent authority. Enditem