Kathmandu, December 25
National Reconstruction Authority, the government body to oversee and coordinate reconstruction works after the 2015 massive earthquake, says around Rs 90 billion has been already spent in the mission. However, only 10 per cent of affected households have become able to reconstruct their houses so far.
Total 767,705 houses were destroyed or damaged in the earthquake and its aftershocks, according to the government data. Of them, only 79,442 have been reconstructed.
The Authority says 193,641 households have initiated procedures to construct houses.
More than 100,000 households are yet to get the first tranche of government’s three-instalment reconstruction grant as two and half years have already passed since the tremor. Total 653,744 households received the first tranche. Only 139,170 and 38,850 received second and third instalments respectively.
Earlier, the Authority had signed a grant agreement with 668,132 households. It had targeted to complete the grant distribution by mid-December. Now, it says the second tranche will be distributed by mid-April and the final tranche by mid-July next year.
On the other hand, the progress in construction of public buildings and historical monuments is dismal. Among 7,500 public schoolhouses destroyed, only 2,700 completed the reconstruction process. Total 2,206 buildings are under-construction.
Of 1,197 health institutions, 555 completed the reconstruction while the process is underway for 119 buildings.
Total 80 historical monuments among 757 destroyed have been reconstructed so far.
Chief Executive Officer of the Authority, Yubaraj Bhusal, however, says the pace of reconstruction is satisfactory.
“Looking at the situation of various countries that went through similar fates, our reconstruction motion is satisfactory.”
