KATHMANDU, April 14: The Office of the Auditor General (OAG) has said the National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) lacks capacity to implement its projects to expedite post-earthquake reconstruction and rehabilitation works.

The office's 54th annual report stated the NRA didn't have actual design and framework to execute reconstruction tasks in time, and that it lacked ability to spend resources and implement projects.

“The NRA spent much time in building organizational structure, framework and guidelines, which delayed reconstruction tasks,” read the report published on Wednesday.

The OAG audit report, prepared after analyzing the NRA's budget and plan for fiscal year 2015-16, stated: “The government had estimated the need for Rs 249 billion for the post-earthquake reconstruction works for that year, but it allocated just Rs 38.38 billion.”

Foreign countries and donors had pleaded Rs 436 billion for reconstruction efforts, but the government was able to sign agreements for just Rs 289 billion with the donors as of year-end. “Of the total amount, the government allotted just Rs 16 billion during the year, and the NRA spent Rs 1.56 billion.”

 
• office of the auditor general
 
• national reconstruction authority
 
• earthquake reconstruction