Miscellaneous
Works up to Rs20m may be given to communities
The National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) has plans to allow the communities to construct structures worth up to Rs20 million to involve them in the rebuilding process.The National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) has plans to allow the communities to construct structures worth up to Rs20 million to involve them in the rebuilding process.
The procurement procedure for the NRA, which the reconstruction body is taking to its steering committee, proposes increasing the amount that the communities could spend for rebuilding structures damaged by the earthquakes in April and May last year.
The Public Procurement Act only allows works worth Rs6 million to be carried out by the communities. The NRA Act permits this body to create its own working procedure to fast-track the procurement process so that rebuilding activities are carried out at a faster pace.
“The provision is for adopting a community-based approach in reconstruction,” Madhu Sudan Adhikari, acting secretary at the NRA, said at The Kathmandu Post Roundtable on Reconstruction on Monday. “They will not be involved in all types of construction but only in the reconstruction of social infrastructure like schools and health posts.”
The authority has revised its working procedure draft in line with the NRA Act. The earlier draft envisaged allowing works up to Rs10 million to be undertaken by communities.
According to Adhikari, the time taken by public procurement has also been halved. During the roundtable, government officials defended their performance blaming the late formation of the NRA for the delay in undertaking rebuilding projects. Non-government organisations raised questions about the lack of one-stop shop for getting approvals for reconstruction at the community level.
Madhu Marasini, joint-secretary at the National Planning Commission, however, said reconstruction activities could have accelerated had the NRA been formed in the same spirit of holding the donor conference on June 25, 2015.
NGO representatives said they were forced to run from pillar to post to get permits to reconstruct houses for the earthquake-displaced people at a time when they need shelters the most.
“We are under pressure from both quake survivors and our donors to fast-track the reconstruction of houses,” said Usha Maskey, the social mobilisation specialist with a housing reconstruction project of the IOM and UN Habitat.
Brabim Kumar of AYON, an umbrella organisation of youths, stressed on the need for getting young people into reconstruction. “Thousands of youths are willing to volunteer and with right coordination this can be of immense help,” he said.
Former president of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Suraj Vaidya said that contributions from private sector can be encouraged if the government reduces tax on donations. He also urged the government to entrust its citizens and private sector with responsibilities.
ADB Country Director for Nepal Kenichi Yokoyama said it was important to not just focus on this disaster but equally on future events. He urged the government to approve the National Disaster Management Act, in order to create a national agency to deal with disasters effectively.