The National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) has formulated a directive that encourages community participation in reconstruction of infrastructure and housing structures damaged by the devastating earthquakes last year.

The Directive on Reconstruction Community Committee 2016 approved by the NRA envisions the establishment of committees at local-level to promote coordination, engagement and responsibility of local communities in all earthquake-affected districts in reconstruction and resettlement, said Ram Prasad Thapaliya, spokesperson for the NRA.

As per the new directive, the reconstruction committees formed at the local level, at the lowest administrative unit of any village and municipality should include a chairperson chosen from the communities and three female members in the six-member committee to work on reconstruction and rehabilitation projects.

The role of the community-led committees formed in all quake-affected districts is to provide support and facilitate the reconstruction through direct participation and coordination with various local agencies and organisations working for reconstruction and rebuilding of damaged and new infrastructure and housing structures.

The community-led committees could also provide necessary feedback and suggestions to NRA’s reconstruction coordination committee formed at the local level to the complaints filed by the locals who are not listed as the affected families to get the rebuilding aid worth Rs200,000.

“The newly formed community-led reconstruction committees can develop and implement progammes focusing on social and economic empowerment in joint coordination with local authorities and concerned stakeholders,” said Thapaliya. The committee members will also help the local authorities, chief executive officer of respective municipalities, technical team and coordinators in the reconstruction of damaged private housing structures in respective districts.

As per the directive, the community-led committees will also be responsible to identify the underprivileged and marginalised people among the earthquake-affected households and develop and implement programmes for their livelihood empowerment.

As of Sunday, the NRA has signed 251,537 households in 12 earthquake-affected districts to provide the first instalment of house rebuilding aid.

The authority has so far distributed the first instalment amount of Rs 50,000 in aid to 35,292 households in 11 districts.