December 23: The term of the National Reconstruction Authority (NRA), which has been managing the reconstruction of private houses, health posts and hospital buildings, public buildings and archeological heritage sites destroyed by the 2015 earthquake, is expiring on Friday, December 24. The government had established the autonomous body on December 25, 2015 to carry out the reconstruction works. The government had extended the term of NRA in December 2020 for a one year period.

During its six year term, NRA has completed of 75 percent of works including the reconstruction of private houses in 31 districts including the 14 most affected by the earthquake.

Till the last fiscal year 2077/78, NRA spent a budget of Rs 381 billion for reconstruction. The Post Disaster Needs Assessment Report (PDNA) had estimated the need of Rs 938 billion investment for the post-earthquake reconstruction. However, the Post Disaster Recovery Framework (PDRF) had downsized the estimated cost to Rs 482 billion from Rs 938 billion.

According to Manohar Ghimire, joint spokesperson of NRA, the budget spent in the current fiscal year has not been included in the record books yet. He said that the details of the cost, expenditure and source of funding are yet to be collected.

NRA has been handing over its works to the concerned agencies since mid-September. A meeting of NRA on Wednesday decided to hand over all of its responsibilities to the concerned bodies from now onward. The meeting chaired by Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba decided to hand over all the responsibilities, assets and other works of reconstruction to other bodies on Wednesday, September 17.

Deuba has instructed the concerned bodies to complete the remaining works on time. Similarly, he has also expressed his commitment not to allow budget shortage for the remaining reconstruction works.

According to the NRA, the total number of beneficiaries in the list so far is 866,207 and the grant agreement has been reached with 827,340. Now, the NRA will be responsible for preparing the integrated financial statement of current and capital expenditure for the fiscal year 2078/079 and the work related to audit.