NRA extends deadline of reconstruction grant to July 16

Kathmandu, Apr. 3: The National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) has extended the deadline for the second tranche of the house reconstruction grant to July 16 this year.

An NRA Steering Committee meeting, chaired by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and held at the PM’s residence in Baluwatar, on Tuesday took a decision to this effect.

Earlier, the NRA had set the deadline for collecting the second installment of the grant for April 13, 2018.

Initially, in July 2017, the reconstruction body had set the deadline for mid-January 2018.  

At that time, the NRA had directed the quake victims included in the government beneficiaries’ list to collect the first instalment of the grant by mid-November 2017, and entire amount by mid-July 2018. 

Through the directives, the reconstruction body wanted to persuade the beneficiaries to build their house at the earliest and speed up the grant distribution and reconstruction process. 

PM Oli, who is also the chairman of the committee, said that priority should be given to the reconstruction of private houses.

“Priority should be on providing shelter to the vulnerable people like senior citizens, disabled people, pregnant women and sick people,” said the PM.

He also directed the NRA to simplify the grant process to facilitate the quake-victims to obtain the money easily.

“If needed, amend the respective acts and rules to simplify the complex provisions. You can ask if you need additional budget and human resources,” said Oli.

The NRA has proposed changing the current organisational structure of the authority and the central as well as district-level Programme Implementation Units.

The meeting deliberated on the proposal, and PM Oli gave instructions to change the structure if necessary.

NRA Chief Executive Officer Yuba Raj Bhusal said that the work to change the organisational structure would begin from April 11.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 4 April 2018.