- Officials accuse MoGA of dilly-dallying in providing manpower urgently needed to begin reconstruction work
- Say, the authority can't hire personnel on its own without MoGA's approval
KATHMANDU, Feb 22: Officials at the National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) say that the already-delayed task of reconstruction and rehabilitation in the earthquake-ravaged areas would be hindered further if the Ministry of General Administration (MoGA) continues dilly-dallying in providing required officials to the authority.
Even after over a month of the NRA's request, the ministry has decided to provide only 80 officials instead of the total 208 officials demanded by the authority. And of the 80 officials too, only 30 have turned up at the authority's office so far.
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The authority has not been able to set up its seven regional offices in the quake-affected districts in lack of staff though it decided to establish the offices on January 13.
The regional offices are supposed to monitor and facilitate all the tasks related to the reconstruction at the ground level.
"If the ministry continues dilly-dallying, it will only delay the reconstruction works, which means the victims will further suffer," said Adhikari.
Adhikari said that the authority has not been able to give momentum to its work just because it has not been able to recruit sufficient staff although the NRA's directive committee headed by the prime minister last month approved a budget of Rs 29, 67, 88,000 for the authority to set up its regional offices in the earthquake-affected districts and carry out other necessary administrative tasks before it starts the real task of reconstruction and rehabilitation.
Officials at the authority including Adhikari accused the ministry of being "insensitive" to the task of reconstruction for not providing sufficient manpower to the authority on time.
"We have been frequently asking the ministry not to delay transferring officials to the authority for it takes time for the transferred officials to assume office.
Many transferred officials may have to come from outside the valley. But the ministry has just remained aloof," he said.
He said that the initiation of reconstruction works in the most-affected districts where hundreds of thousands of quake victims have been living pathetic life under flimsy huts could have started by now had the ministry provided sufficient manpower to set up its regional offices.
"The authority can recruit manpower on its own but only if the MoGA approves it. But again, it would be so lengthy and would only delay the reconstruction works. So, we have been compelled to wait for the ministry to send officials," added Adhikari.
However, officials at the ministry said that they were not able to send the demanded staff on time as majority of civil servants were reluctant to work at the authority.
An official at the ministry who did not want to be named said that the ministry was facing hard time sending employees to the authority as many civil servants showed lack of interest to work at the authority for they fear they may have to work for long hours.
"We will send additional staff immediately," said Kamal Prasad Bhattrai, spokesperson of the ministry.
