Kathmandu, May 9
National Reconstruction Authority estimates that post-quake reconstruction work will require around eight trillion rupees. The authority made this estimate taking into account the appreciation of US dollar against the Nepali rupee and other factors.
About a year ago, National Planning Commission had made a post-disaster needs assessment report public, estimating that reconstruction work will require Rs 6.67 trillion.
The then finance minister, Ram Sharan Mahat, had presented this report at a donors’ conference organised about 10 months ago. At the conference, donors had pledged Rs 4.4 trillion in the form of loan and grants.
Eleven months after the PDNA report came out, NRA now estimates that the cost of post-quake reconstruction will go up by Rs 1.33 trillion. A number of factors remained unaccounted for while preparing the PDNA report, NRA Spokesperson Ram Prasad Thapaliya told Onlinekhabar. We have now identified more areas that need attention. That’s why the cost of reconstruction has mounted to eight billion rupees, he said.
Thapaliya said: The PDNA report had not taken into account the need to reconstruct the Supreme Court building, damaged infrastructure of the Nepali Army and reconstruction of quake-damaged educational infrastructure. The cost of reconstruction went up as we incorporated them.
In two days (on May 11), NRA will make public the reconstruction action plan as per the revised estimated cost of reconstruction. NRA is making public its strategic action plan five months after its formation.
