The government has appointed 21 staffers to National Reconstruction Authority, the central body responsible for post-earthquake reconstruction and rehabilitation, on Sunday, almost a month after the institution was reactivated by appointing Sushil Gyewali as its chief executive officer.

While most of them were under-secretaries and section officers, only a joint-secretary was among the staffers arranged for the authority.

“We could arrange only one senior-level staff and a few second-class officers this time. Efforts are on to arrange more staffers,” said ministry Spokesperson Rajendra Poudel. “We are still searching for staffers.”

Most senior-level officers are said to be reluctant to join the authority. When the ministry approached Kali Prasad Parajuli, a joint-secretary at the Ministry of Home Affairs, he agreed to join the body. However, another joint-secretary Ramesh Adhikari, declined to work there.

Along with Parajuli, the ministry has deployed Senior Division Engineers Ghanshyam Gautam and Saubhagya Pradhanga (archaeology), under-secretaries Bijaya Rana, Prem Prasad Ghimire and Ram Datta Pandey. Civil engineer Surendra Baidhya, architect engineer Dev Prasad Gaudel, Krishna Raj Sharma, surveyor Bharat Singh Air, Prakash Oli, among others, are also joining the authority.

Ganga Subedi Bhattarai, Yubaraj Kharel, Bishnu Lamichhane, Bhawani Shankar Ghimire, Parmananda Ghimire, Labaraj Joshi, Padam Prasad Aryal, Chetnath Aryal and Prakash Devkota are also joining the office. The government has already deputed two under-secretaries and three section officers from the Office of the Prime Minister and Finance Ministry, while Madhusudan Adhikari is working as an acting secretary.

Post-quake reconstruction works have been largely affected due to a lack of staffers in the authority, condemned senior officials responsible.

The ministry-deployed officers are said to join the office within a couple of days. So far, only two under-secretaries deputed from the Office of Prime Minister and Ministry of Finance and three section officers are assisting the acting secretary.

Based on an Organization and Management survey, the authority has requested the government to mange at least 41 staffers, including 17 joint-secretaries in first lot, to manage the office and begin planning at the central level. An estimated 208 staffers including 17-joint-secretary and 36-under secretaries are required for the authority, according to the survey conducted by the PM’s office.

“Absence of staffers in the authority has severely affected our works,” said acting secretary Adhikari.

“The authority has not been able to manage the office internally, formulate laws to simplify reconstruction works and analyse reconstruction plan proposed by line ministries.”

The authority, which has formally began the reconstruction campaign by laying the foundation stone of a temple on the Ranipokhari premises, has set the target of officially beginning reconstruction of quake-destroyed houses in all villages by April 25. The target, according to NRA officials, is unlikely if the office continues to face a crunching number of staffers at the office.