National
Gyewali back as NRA chief
The Cabinet has reappointed Sushil Gyewali as Chief Executive Officer of National Reconstruction Authority.Sanjeev Giri
The Cabinet has reappointed Sushil Gyewali as Chief Executive Officer of National Reconstruction Authority.
This would be Gyewali’s second stint in office. This is the fifth change in the leadership of the authority mandated to execute post-earthquake reconstruction of damaged homes and heritage structures.
The NRA’s CEO post remained vacant after Oli government revoked all political appointments made by the former government led by Sher Bahadur Deuba after August 30, 2017.
Following this decision, NRA’s former Chief Executive Yubaraj Bhusal tendered his resignation in the first week of June.
Gyewali, who is likely to assume office on Thursday, told the Post he would prioritise reconstruction of private houses.
“We shall review NRA’s accomplished work and prepare new plans to complete reconstruction within the stipulated time.”
He said rebuilding work fails expectations because the authority did not set time bound targets.
“We had devised a three-year action plan during my previous tenure,” Gyewali said and vowed to continue it with some tweaks.
Apart from the ongoing rebuilding works, the new CEO said he would emphasize on the economic rehabilitation of needy families as per the Post Disaster Recovery Framework.
The Pushpa Kamal Dahal-led government had relieved Gyewali from his post in January 2017, citing dissatisfaction over his work.
Managing senior bureaucrats including those working at the NRA is likely to be Gyewali’s major challenges.
Curiously, Gyewali is back in the CEO’s chair, while a petition filed by him seeking a stay order on his dismissal by Dahal government, remains pending in court.
The Supreme Court did not issue an interim order, but decided to announce the final verdict. Govinda Raj Pokhrel and Yubaraj Bhusal succeeded Gyewali.
Legal experts say Gyewali assuming the CEO’s chair is complicated. He had named the then Prime Minister, council of ministers and the NRA as the defendants in his petition.
Gyewali dismissed this issue stating that he would revoke the petition soon.
Ever since its inception, the NRA has become a political boxing ring for parties. Sushil Koirala government appointed Pokhrel as NRA’s first CEO in August 2015. Pokhrel stepped down after his appointment was annulled due to lack of law.
The Oli government, which succeeded Koirala, then appointed Gyewali.
The Dahal government, with the Nepali Congress as its coalition partner, dismissed Gyewali in January 2017 and brought Pokhrel back at the helm. Former finance secretary Bhusal, who is the in-law of senior NC leader Ram Chandra Poudel, was then appointed.
Government CEO Tenure
NC-UML Coalition Govinda Pokharel Aug 13, 2015 - Dec 24, 2015
UML-Maoist Coalition Sushil Geywali Dec 25, 2015 - Jan 11, 2017
Maoist-NC Coalition Govinda Pokharel Jan 12, 2017 - Oct 23, 2017
Maoist-NC Coalition Yubaraj Bhusal Oct 24, 2017 - July 8, 2018
NCP Sushil Geywali Aug 14, 2018 -