Karnali govt allocates Rs. 500 million for rebuilding schools, health centres

By Our Correspondent,Surkhet, Dec. 4: The Karnali Province government has initiated the reconstruction of community schools and health institutions damaged by the Jajarkot earthquake. 

The earthquake, with its epicentre at Ramidanda of Barekot Rural Municipality in Jajarkot, on November 3 last year, caused extensive damage to community schools and health institutions in Jajarkot, Rukum West, and Salyan districts.

The provincial government has allocated a budget and started work on rebuilding these structures.

The Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Urban Development of the Province has advanced the reconstruction of these schools and health institutions, aiming for completion within this fiscal year. 

For the purpose, the provincial government has allocated a budget of Rs. 500 million, distributing Rs. 250 for Jajarkot, Rs. 220 for Rukum West, and Rs. 30 million for Salyan district.

In October, the Cabinet approved the "Earthquake-Damaged School and Health Institution Building Reconstruction Programme (Operation and Management) Procedure-2024." 

With both budget allocation and procedural framework in place, the reconstruction process is now underway, according to the provincial government.

The reconstruction programme is being implemented by the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Urban Development and the respective Infrastructure Development Offices under it, in coordination with local levels. 

The recommended projects from the local levels are forwarded to the ministry by the District Recommendation Committee, which includes the Chief of the District Coordination Committee as the coordinator, with members such as Chief District Officer, Chief of the Education Development and Coordination Unit, Chief of the Social Development Office, Chief of the Health Unit Office, and Chief of the Housing and Building Section.

This committee has already submitted the data of schools and health institutions requiring reconstruction to the ministry. According to Senior Divisional Engineer Ramesh Subedi, Spokesperson for the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Urban Development, the Ministry has already started working on the matter.

According to him, 42 structures, including health institutions and schools, have been proposed for reconstruction in Salyan district.

Based on priority, the recommendation committee has selected five names. Similarly, 120 institutions were proposed in Rukum district, out of which the committee selected 33. In Jajarkot, 46 institutions were proposed, and the committee selected 39 for submission to the Ministry for Reconstruction.