NRA fails to monitor reconstruction works

Kathmandu, Oct. 1: Although the National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) has approved 123 reconstruction projects run under more than 100 national and international Non-Governmental Organizations (I/NGO), it lacks mechanism to monitor their activities.

It has been months since the I/NGOs had got approval for the reconstruction of private houses, schools, health posts, and training and awareness programmes but the government was ignorant as to who is doing what.

Maintaining that the NRA was working on to establish the monitoring mechanism, a senior officer confirmed that the Authority did not have system to keep an eye on the activities of the non governmental organization.

According to the recent statistics of the reconstruction body, 24 I/NGOs have pledged to mobilize Rs. 39.57 billion to implement their projects.

A large share of budget will go to the reconstruction of the private houses.

Approximately Rs. 26.69 billion will be spent on house reconstruction.

According to the Social Welfare Act 1992, the Social Welfare Council (SWC) should supervise, follow up and carry out evaluations of the activities of the non-governmental organizations.

It should work as a center for dissemination of information and documentation to the affiliated service oriented organizations.

But, the SWC has poor track record in terms of monitoring I/NGO-run project.

However, the Act Relating to Reconstruction of the Earthquake Affected Structures, 2015 has allowed the NRA to mobilize non-governmental organizations, private sector or community for reconstruction.

The legal framework has entrusted the reconstruction body to make inspection, examination and monitoring of the activity carried out at the direction of the Authority.

But, despite of the legal provisions, the NRA has not established a mechanism to monitor the activities of the I/NGOs.

Meanwhile, as quake-affected families have begun to receive the first installment of the house reconstruction grant, Rs. 50,000, many have started to build their houses.

The government has deposited the first installment into the bank account of 406,300 households.

But, it does not have exact figures of the number of houses being built.

According to the rough data sent by the engineers in the field, about 3,000 houses were in the phase of completion. But, NRA couldn’t confirm the figures.

However, The NRA plans to keep tab on the activities of the I/NGO in close coordination with the line ministries.

NRA spokesperson Ram Prasad Thapaliya maintained that the reconstruction body was planning to have participatory approach in the monitoring and evaluation works.

He said that the non governmental organizations first needed to obtain approval from the concerned ministries and then come to the Authority.

If any organization directly goes to the Authority, the latter coordinates with the concerned ministry and helps to approve the programme.

According to Thapaliya, it had helped check the duplication of the source and programmes.

“We are mulling to set up a two-tier verification mechanism whereby the data provided by the VDC secretaries will be verified by the district level committees.

 Both the Ministry of Urban Development and Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development will be involved in the monitoring mechanism,” Thapaliya said.