In order to expedite rebuilding works and to avoid the lengthy bureaucratic process, the National Reconstruction Authority will have the power to skip the general procedure.

In a briefing to Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and the ministers concerned in Baluwatar on Wednesday, NRA Chief Executive Officer Sushil Gyewali offered details of the fast-track process that the NRA would adopt.

“We have proposed shortening both time and procedure in awarding contracts for reconstruction,” said NRA acting Secretary Madhusudan Adhikari. “Heads of each section under the NRA will have the power to complete procurement under a given financial threshold.”

A proposal drafted to streamline the procedure

with additional mandates

for officials overseeing reconstruction has been forwarded to the prime minister-headed Directive Committee of the authority.

The paper proposes that the authority should be able to sign reconstruction contracts worth Rs500 million without formal approval from the Cabinet or the Finance Ministry.

Adhikari said the measures would ease the reconstruction process significantly. Ministries involved in reconstruction works will send their officials to the construction site to coordinate on mega projects.

The authority plans to begin reconstruction in all the villages of the 14 quake-affected districts by April 24. Before this, the authority wants to get exact details of the quake-affected households. Engineers are mobilised as surveyors in the affected districts to assess the damage on house and infrastructure by mid-April.

Meanwhile, the NRA has proposed holding the second donor conference for reconstruction as the funds pledged by Nepal’s development

partners at the first meet would not be enough. Donors have pledged $4.4 billion for rebuilding.