Post-disaster reconstruction and rehabilitation plan approved

Kathmandu, Jan 12: A comprehensive plan for post-disaster reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts was approved at the 16th meeting of the National Risk Reduction and Management National Council, which convened on Sunday.     

The meeting, chaired by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, who is also the Council's Chairperson, took place at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers at Singha Durbar, The decision to approve the plan was made in response to the recurring earthquake incidents in the western part of the country and recent monsoon-induced disasters.     

During the meeting, a detailed assessment of the damages caused by the natural disasters was conducted, and was approved based on recommendations provided by the National Disaster Risks Reduction and Management Executive Committee.     

An agreement between the government agency and beneficiaries will be signed starting on January 14 to commence the reconstruction process.     

The approval of the comprehensive plan has also allowed the concerned agency to begin assessing the remaining disaster-hit areas that had not yet undergone this process.     

The meeting urged the relevant ministries, provincial authorities, and local governments to coordinate with the Ministry of Finance to manage resources necessary for implementing the activities outlined in the comprehensive plan.     

The Ministry of Finance was instructed to release funds promptly to support the reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts.     

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority has identified roads, transportation, public offices, urban infrastructures, alternative energy, electricity, irrigation, private residences, academic institutions, health infrastructures, drinking water and sanitation, and archaeological heritages and sites as priority areas for reconstruction.     

The Ministry of Finance will lead to mobilization of internal and external resources and coordinate with stakeholders to implement the reconstruction and rehabilitation operation.     

The meeting, giving special attention to areas affected by the earthquake in Doti and Jajarkot districts, has decided to start collecting details of the damages there and commence the reconstruction and rehabilitation process.     

The Authority has been tasked with executing a relief distribution operation for the flood victims and their families in Sankhuwasabha district in 2080 BS in line with the cabinet decision in 2081 BS.     

Those who went missing and whose whereabouts were not known for over 10 days are entitled to the relief package. The families of those missing will receive a relief package akin to the relief package provided to those families who lost their members to the disaster, it was decided.     

Furthermore, the meeting decided to arrange necessary human resources for the Authority to deliver effectively.     

During the meeting, PM Oli stressed the urgency of the post-disaster reconstruction and rehabilitation process and directed authorities to start the reconstruction process promptly with available resources, avoiding duplication of efforts.     

Present in the meeting were Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Bishnu Prasad Paudel, Minister for Home Affairs Ramesh Lekhak and ministers.     

The meeting was also attended by chief ministers of various provinces, the chief secretary of the government of Nepal, and the chief of security agencies, among others.(RSS)