The first meeting of the newly formed Development Aid Coordination and Facilitation Committee of the National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) held on Friday decided to attract more foreign aid and mobilise the resources effectively for post- earthquake reconstruction.

The meeting was represented by the NRA officials, government officials, members of the National Planning Commission, government representatives from India and China, and representatives from the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the Federation of Nepal Commerce and Industries, donor agencies and development partners. 

Sushil Gyewali, chief executive officer at NRA and coordinator of the committee, briefed the meeting about the reconstruction activities. He also talked about the challenges in reconstruction works, including shortage of fund. 

The committee has decided to hold the meeting once every two months to discuss the works concerning post-quake reconstruction. 

During the international donor conference held in June last year, two months after the Gorkha Earthquake, the donor community had pledged $4.4 billion (around Rs440 billion) for rebuilding efforts. As per the estimates shared by NRA, the donor community has so far signed agreement for funds worth Rs 278 billion. 

“The fund for the housing sector is inadequate,” said Ram Prasad Thapaliya, the NRA spokesperson. 

The NRA has projected that the country will need Rs 938 billion to carry out all the reconstruction works, of which Rs476 billion is estimated for the housing sector in the next five years. 

Initially, the total estimated cost for reconstruction works was projected at Rs 838 billion, and later increased by Rs 100 billion after the Pushpa Kamal Dahal-led government decided to increase the housing aid to the earthquake affected households from Rs 200,000 to Rs 300,000.