KATHMANDU, Feb 23: The government has spent 480 million rupees to decorate the main administrative building, the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers (OPMCM) at Singha Durbar.

The building was damaged by the 2015 earthquake and was rebuilt by the National Reconstruction Authority (NRA). The NRA spent 480 million rupees to decorate and install necessary equipment at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers. The amount is exclusive of value added tax (VAT).

According to an official at NRA, 480 million rupees has been spent in purchasing mechanical, electrical plumbing, IT / security, fire fighting, sanitary supplies, air conditioning, CCTV, garden, and furnishing.

The NRA has spent 390 million rupees to reconstruct three facades (east, north and south) of Singha Durbar. 

The NRA official said that the amount was spent to renovate the OPMCM. “None of the items from the current Prime Minister’s Office will be brought into the new setting,” the official told Republica on Monday. “It has cost a lot of money as everything is new.” However, a senior official at the Prime Minister’s Office told that the current office has all the necessary things that can be used in the new building.

The furniture, computer and other items are in good condition. If the government did not want to spend extravagantly, the new building would not have to spend on other things except carpeting and curtains.

“The current expenditure to decorate the Prime Minister's Office is a mockery of the government’s austerity measures,” said the senior official of the Prime Minister's Office.

The NRA constructed the required office and meeting room in accordance with the existing organizational structure of the current OPMCM.

The NRA stated that a total of 870 million rupees has been spent in the first phase and the second phase of the entire work, including reinforcement and furnishing of the northern, southern and eastern sections of Singha Durbar, of which, 480 million rupees was spent on decoration.

The country's economy has been hit hard by the pandemic. The government has not been able to provide much relief to the people. 

An official at the Prime Minister's Office claimed that a large amount of money had been spent in commission that can be earned while buying new goods. “The NRA officials are doing this to please Prime Minister Oli,” he added.

According to NRA, Sharma New Technical JV had won the first phase contract to construct three facades of Singha Durbar. The contract for the second phase was awarded to Sharma Microtech New Technical JV. In the first and second phase of the contract, the responsibility of the consultant was given to DB Multi Engineering Consultant Pvt Ltd.

The eastern, northern and southern facades of Singha Durbar and the Prime Minister's Office were inaugurated by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on February 15.

 
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