KATHMANDU, Sept 1: Despite having ample resources in the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), disaster victims continue to suffer due to bureaucratic complications and delays in fund distribution.
Last year, the Prime Minister's Disaster Relief and Rescue Assistance Fund held a total of Rs 4.590 billion, with an additional Rs 47.75 million earned as interest while deposited in a private bank.
Out of this fund, Rs 1 billion was allocated to the NDRRMA, with only Rs 200 million reaching the affected districts for relief and rescue, disappointing the beneficiaries due to untimely distribution. In the fiscal year 2020/21, the fund under the Prime Minister's Office amounted to Rs 4.147 billion, but it remained unspent.
Currently, the Prime Minister's Relief Fund stands at Rs 3.106 billion, while the NDRRMA holds Rs 1.818 billion. The Province Disaster Management Fund has Rs 513.3 million, and the District Disaster Management Fund has a total of Rs 592.2 million. Surprisingly, a total of Rs 6 billion in the government's Disaster Management Fund, encompassing all three funds, remains unutilized, further exacerbating the plight of disaster victims. These funds are intended to provide immediate rescue and relief to those affected by natural calamities.
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This year alone, 73 people have lost their lives due to monsoon-related disasters, resulting in damage to 222 houses, covering an area of 465 square feet. The NDRRMA reports that 5,918 households have been affected by monsoon disasters this year, with only Rs 10 million sent to the affected districts for relief and rescue. But the spokesperson for the authority, Dhruva Khadka said that the details of whether or not the district has distributed the relief funds to the disaster victims have not been received.
The District Disaster Fund allocates Rs 2.5 million in Terai districts, Rs 2 million in hill districts, and Rs 1.5 million in the mountain 9districts for relief and rescue. However, authorities have not received requests for funds from the districts, leaving the funds unused.
A request should be made to the authority only when the funds are not available in the districts. But the officials of the authority said that there has not been any demand for funds from the districts.
Despite the government's claim of allocating over Rs 1 billion annually from the government budget for monsoon disaster relief, victims express dissatisfaction with the delayed distribution of relief funds. Unfortunately, neither the authorities nor the Ministry of Home Affairs maintains systematic records of relief and rescue fund distribution, raising concerns about accountability and transparency.
The past decade witnessed devastating damage from floods, landslides, and heavy rains. From 2070 BS to 2079 BS, floods claimed the lives of 741 people, with 464 individuals reported missing. During this period, 52,228 houses were damaged, affecting 64,770 families. Landslides resulted in the deaths of 1,333 people, while 315 individuals went missing, and 10,070 families were affected, with 7,300 houses damaged. The economic loss due to landslides amounted to Rs 1.770 billion. Additionally, heavy rains during the same period caused 104 deaths, damaged 1,927 houses, and affected 5,565 families.
Why is the Prime Minister Disaster Relief Fund inactive?
The Prime Minister Disaster Relief Fund remains inactive despite Prime Minister Disaster Relief and Rescue Fund Regulations, 2066 specifying its use for various natural disasters, including floods, landslides, fires, earthquakes, heavy rains, and diseases. The fund is intended for immediate relief, including temporary camps, essential items, medical care, and treatment of the injured or sick. However, government officials claim that the fund has not been utilized for disaster mitigation.
A committee comprising officials from eight government agencies, operating under the coordination of the vice-chairman of the National Planning Commission, manages the fund. Joint Secretary Pradeep Koirala, who also worked in the Disaster Management Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs, said that unfortunately, the fund's utilization is slow, and it does not respond proactively to disaster needs.
The fund operates in accordance with the Natural Disaster Relief Act, 2039 and the Disaster and Natural Relief Fund Regulations 2063. However, the NDRRMA established according to the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act, 2074 is not recognized by the Prime Minister Disaster Relief Fund. Officials added that although the cabinet decided to provide Rs 1 billion to the NDRRMA last year, it took about five months to hand over the amount. According to the officials of the NDRRMA , the target group can be reached in time only if the relief and rescue is under the Central Fund Authority.
“The victims are not able to get relief,” said Fanindra Mani Pokharel, joint secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs. Officials said the delay in distributing disaster relief funds, coupled with bureaucratic hurdles and a lack of coordination among government levels, has left disaster victims in Nepal suffering. Urgent measures are needed to ensure timely and effective relief for those affected by natural disasters.
