Of the total 8,916 infrastructures, including schools, government offices, police stations, barracks, development projects, bridges, among others, destroyed during the Maoist insurgency, only 3,306 infrastructures have been reconstructed so far.
On the basis of the Comprehensive Peace Accord signed between Maoists and the government, the Ministry of Peace, formed with the aim of reconstructing destroyed infrastructures and maintaining peace in the country, had started reconstruction works.
"Though reconstruction of infrastructures damaged during the conflict has begun, we are not satisfied with the pace at which the government is working," said chairman of the committee Rabindra Adhikari.
However, Peace Minister Narahari Acharya addressing lawmakers said the delay in reconstruction was the result of untimely allocation of budget from the line ministry. "We are committed to reconstructing damaged infrastructures but lack of budget is a major problem," he adding said.
The reconstruction project under the Ministry has been facing challenges as they had to spend more than the estimated budget. The ministry officials also said that the upcoming projects will cost higher due to delays.
Police officials present at the meeting expressed serious concerns over sluggish reconstruction of police stations destroyed during the conflict. After reconstruction of buildings, including police posts, service delivery has improved but the government has yet to reconstruct many such infrastructures. The government has already completed reconstruction of over 60 percent of the government buildings destroyed during the conflict.
"Make best use of vacated cantonments"
Meanwhile, the committee has also instructed the Ministry of Peace and National Planning Commission to submit a vision and policy to make the best use of the vacated cantonments of the former Maoist combatants within the four months.
The government had emptied all the seven cantonments and satellite camps where former Maoist combatants were kept till they awaited integration into the Nepal Army.
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