The government on Friday appointed Sushil Gyawali as the Chief Executive Officer of the National Reconstruction Authority, eight months after the devastating earthquake on April 25.

A Cabinet meeting on Friday chose Gyawali, currently serving as the executive director of the Town Development Fund, for the top job following months of wrangling among parties.

A civil engineer by profession, Gyawali has 20 years of experience at the local level from Butwal Municipality to Lumbini Development Trust.

He was appointed executive director of TDF around six years ago.

 When asked how he will make the post-earthquake reconstruction work effective, Gyawali said he would focus on wider participation of local people and seek support of political parties and international donors. “I will try to make Nepali reconstruction plan a role model for the world,” said Gyawali.

Stating that reconstruction work will begin soon, Gyawali said immediately after assuming office, he would start relief packages for quake survivors to save them from cold. “Saving earthquake survivors’ lives from extreme cold will be my first and foremost priority,” he said.

“I will start formulating reconstruction framework from tomorrow on how to move ahead.”

International donors have pledged $4.4 billion for reconstruction and rehabilitation works. In addition to this, the government has allocated Rs 74 billion to National Reconstr-uction Fund.

The government has announced various schemes for reconstruction and

recovery of the quake-affected people.

Immediately after the earthquake, the government had announced Rs 200,000 in aid to each of the families rendered homeless by the earthquake and Rs 15,000 cash for building temporary shelters. The government, however, has yet to complete distribution of fund meant for immediate relief.

The devastating earthquake killed more nearly 9,000 people, injured tens of thousands of people and destroyed a total of 498,852 houses.

The erstwhile Sushil Koirala-led government had appointed Govind Raj Pokharel as the CEO of the NRA by introducing an ordinance for post-earthquake reconstruction