National
Authority claims over 37pc private homes reconstructed
The National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) on Wednesday said reconstruction of 37.19 percent private homes damaged by the earthquake on April 21, 2015 is complete as on Tuesday.The National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) on Wednesday said reconstruction of 37.19 percent private homes damaged by the earthquake on April 21, 2015 is complete as on Tuesday.
Officials at a review meeting chaired by NRA Secretary Arjun Kumar Karki hailed the progress achieved in the fiscal year 2017-18 as ‘satisfactory’ and vowed to expedite work in the current fiscal year.
NRA data shows 268,585 private homes rebuilt so far. The government agency responsible for carrying post-earthquake reconstruction drive states it has completed grant agreement with 722,101 households while the number of listed beneficiaries is to 807,483.
NRA Deputy Spokesperson Manohar Ghimire told the Post, “Reconstruction work picked up momentum in the previous fiscal year. Our plan is to complete private housing reconstruction within this fiscal.” He said currently, 541,279 houses out of 722,101 having completed grant agreements are under construction. Ghimire is optimistic of the NRA achieving its target within the stipulated time.
“A good number of homes would be built before Dashain festival in mid-October this year,” Ghimire said, adding that the challenge for the authority is to complete the grant agreements with listed beneficiaries and start reconstruction work.
Following the earthquake in 2015, the NRA had decided to support reconstruction of private home by disbursing a grant of Rs 300,000 to earthquake victims in three installments of 50,000, Rs 150,000 and Rs.100,000.
The authority has distributed the first tranche of the government grant. It is nearing completion of the second tranche.
The NRA has said there will not be deficit of funds to complete reconstruction of quake-damaged homes. The government has allocated Rs 151.08 billion for the fiscal year 2018-19 to reconstruct buildings damaged by the earthquake, an increase by 3.35 percent compared to the last year’s budget of Rs 146.18 billion. Of the Rs151.08 billion, the government has allocated Rs50.05 billion while Rs88.19 billion comprises foreign loan and Rs12.83 billion as foreign grant.
While stakeholders are concerned about the slow conversion of pledges made by the donors into actual expenditure, NRA officials are confident about the availability of adequate resource.
“The Prime Minister as well as Finance Minister have pledged to disburse additional amount for reconstruction of private home and schools, if required,” Ghimire quoted Karki as saying during the meeting, assuring stakeholders that there will not be budgetary issues.
The NRA had mobilised around Rs87 billion to reconstruct private homes in the previous fiscal year. It aims to scale up expenditure this year.
Rebuilding at a glance
- Total Beneficiaries: 807,486
- Completion of Grant Agreement: 722,101
- Under construction home: 541,279
- First Tranche Disbursement: 714,184 (98.9pc)
- Second Tranche Disbursement: 468,519 (95pc)
- Third Tranche Disbursement: 226791 (85.76pc)
- Construction Completion: 268,585