Quake-hit Nepal forms reconstruction authority

Nearly four months after a massive earthquake devastated Nepal, the government has constituted the long-delayed empowered body to lead the over US $6 billion reconstruction efforts, officials said on Friday.

The National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) will be headed by Govinda Raj Pokharel, also the vice-chair of the National Planning Commission, a government spokesperson said. Pokharel was appointed to head the new body through a cabinet decision on Thursday.

Nepal government has given full authority to the new body, but it will be monitored by Prime Minister Sushil Koirala and will have five years to complete its task. "We hope the CEO will expedite implementation of reconstruction programmes as per the mandate extended by the Ordinance on Reconstruction of Structures Damaged by the Earthquake," Finance Minister Ram Sharan Mahat told The Himalayan Times.

Nepal needs about USD 6.7 billion for reconstruction and rehabilitation, and for economic recovery in the aftermath of the 7.8 magnitude earthquake of April 25 and subsequent aftershocks, officials say.
All the fund for rebuilding the country will be channelled through the new body.

Political wrangling had delayed the formation of the NRA for several weeks, even after international donors pledged USD 4.4 billion to rebuild the nation hit severely by the quake. Nearly 9,000 people were killed and some 600,000 homes were destroyed, in the April 25 quake.