Committee formed to coordinate development assistance

Kathmandu, Oct. 23:

In the light of sluggish post earthquake reconstruction drive, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda Sunday formed a committee to coordinate the development assistance.

PM Prachanda formed the Development Assistance Coordination and Facilitation Committee (DACFC) as per the decision of the National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) Consultation Council meeting held on October 4.

The committee will coordinate with the national and international development partners and civil society that have been involved in the reconstruction works being implemented with development assistance.

It will facilitate the reconstruction works and organisations involved, if necessary.

Although one and a half years passed since the quake damaged more than 900,000 houses and other buildings, there has been negligible progress in terms of reconstruction of the destroyed structures.

As the reconstruction body does not have proper monitoring mechanism, the government and development partners don't know the progress of house reconstruction.

The committee has aimed at motivating national and international development partners, civil society and private sector willing to mobilize necessary financial, technical and other assistance for the rehabilitation of the individuals and families affected by the devastating earthquake in the April and May last year.

Assistance to reconstruct the quake damaged structures will also be sought by the committee.

According to the NRA, the DACFC will monitor and evaluate the work progress, and offer necessary suggestions and solutions to the government, the NRA, respective development partner and other stakeholders.

"We hope that such activities of the committee will expedite the reconstruction works and make it more effective and transparent," said the NRA.

The committee will work to harmonize and remove duplication while implementing the reconstruction and rehabilitation programmes with the help from development assistance, and scrutinize the activities whether they were as per the guidelines of the NRA.

The DACFC is enabled to set its own plan of action and form sub-committees and task forces.

The committee is led by the chief executive officer of the NRA and will have one representative each from India, China, World Bank and Asian Development Bank.

Similarly, there will be two members from the Nepal-based international development partner organisation groups and president or representative from the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), NGO Federation and Association of International NGOs in Nepal in the committee.

Secretary or representative from the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and National Planning Commission, and auditor general or his representative will be invited in the committee.