Although assistance from development partners is pouring in after the April 25 earthquake, reconstruction with strong inclusion of the affected people will be the most daunting task and it needs serious ground-level work, according to Govinda Raj Pokhrel, newly-appointed chief of the National Reconstruction Authority Govinda Raj Pokhrel.

“Reconstruction and rehabilitation of the people without affecting the social harmony will be one of the biggest challenges before initiating the work,” he said at an interaction on “National Dialogue on Accelerated Post-earthquake Reconstruction” organised by the Society of Economic Journalists Nepal (Sejon) here on Friday.

Pokhrel said the authority was cautious about the socio-economic and cultural dynamics of the country and will make serious considerations over the issue while initiating the reconstruction drive. “Reconstruction of physical infrastructure is easier. We already have plans in place,” Pokhrel said. “But social indifference should not remain and this issue needs to be taken seriously.”

He added to avoid such indifferences, the government needs to train the local manpower and deploy them for the development of their own areas.

Duplication of benefits to the locals is another emerging issue. Pokhrel said Nepal needs to be open for every stakeholder who wants to support the country’s rebuilding, but it is also necessary to keep tabs on the duplication of benefits.

Finance Minister Ram Sharan Mahat said with a powerful authority now in place, the reconstruction process will take a pace. “The Finance Ministry is devising projects to mobilise the funds pledged by donor agencies to show their support is not wasted,” Mahat said.

Several bilateral and multilateral partners had pledged more than $4 billion in the recently-held International Conference on Nepal’s Reconstruction to help the country recover.

Kenichi Yokoyama, country director of the Asian Development Bank, lauding the appointment of the chief at the authority, said maintaining discipline in the reconstruction drive and creating a conducive political environment are key issues to be looked at.

In a separate session, political leaders from three major parties—Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and UCPN (Maoist)—underscored the need for collective political support for making the reconstruction process a success. “There should be positive political interference,” said CPN UML leader Rabindra Adhikari.

Former Finance Minister and UCPN (Maoist) leader Barsha Man Pun said the ability of the political leadership will be determined by how they participate in the reconstruction process. “This is time for leaders and parties to win the people’s confidence,” Pun said.

Nepali Congress leader Gagan Thapa said the country should hold local elections at the earliest to make sure the reconstruction process moves ahead effectively. “Everyone is talking about a national unity government, but I feel a unity government will make the reconstruction initiative weak,” he said, adding a strong opposition will be needed to make the reconstruction process accountable.

Shekhar Golchha, vice president of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, said youths should lead the reconstruction and rehabilitation process. He said the government needs to be serious on farmers’ plight as they are in the need of seeds, fertilisers and cattle.