KATHMANDU, Aug 14: After months-long delay, the government has finally appointed Vice-Chairman of National Planning Commission (NPC) Professor Govinda Raj Pokharel as the chief executive officer (CEO) of the High-Powered Reconstruction Authority.
A cabinet meeting held at Singha Durbar on Thursday decided to appoint Pokharel as CEO of the 11-member reconstruction authority that is mandated to carry out reconstruction of earthquake-ravaged structures and rehabilitate those displaced by it.
Pokharel is an experienced executive and planner with expertise on alternative energy planning, hydropower, climate change, microfinance, rural development, planning, project management, fundraising, business and infrastructure development, technology, engineering and science.
Before the NPC, he was an Executive Director of Alternative Energy Promotion Center, a national nodal agency for renewable energy. During his tenure at the center, he worked for promotion of renewable energy in the country, especially in rural areas.
Most notably, Pokharel was appreciated for preparing the Post Disaster Need Assessment (PDNA) report within short span of time on par with the international standards in the aftermath of the earthquake. And based on the same report, the government held the International Conference on Nepal Reconstruction to collect funds from donor communities for reconstruction and rehabilitation works in the quake-affected areas on June 25.
Donor community had even considered the PDNA report as credible one and pledged to provide over Rs 400 billion to support reconstruction and rehabilitation works. PDNA stated that Rs 669 billion will be needed for reconstruction and the fund pledged by the donor communities in the conference was 60 per cent of the estimation.
Lately, NPC team under Pokharel's leadership was formulating guidelines for carrying out reconstruction work in the quake-affected districts.
Until the cabinet appoints new vice-chairman in the NPC, Pokharel will oversee both the NPC and the reconstruction authority, said a minister.
The authority shall have five-year tenure, which can be extended by a year at the most under special circumstances.
Delay on the part of the government in appointing chief executive officer of the authority and other key officials in the authority had been hindering the post earthquake reconstruction and rehabilitation works.
In a move to give full shape to the authority, the cabinet also nominated four cabinet ministers as members of the authority, informed Minister for Industry Mahesh Basnet.
He said that Home Minister Bamdev Gautam, Finance Minister Ram Sharan Mahat, Tourism Minister Kripasur Sherpa and Urban Development Minister Narayan Khadka have been appointed as members of the authority.
Likewise, the cabinet has also decided to appoint Dr Tara Nidhi Bhattarai of Tribhuvan University as expert member of the authority. A Ph.D. in Engineering Geology from Kyushu University, Japan, Dr Bhattarai is currently serving as Associate Professor at the Department of Geology at Tri-Chandra Campus, Tribhuvan University
Chief Secretary and the vice-chairperson of the National Planning Commission will be ex-officio members of the body.
NRA seeks army, police manpower for reconstruction
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