Government of Nepal NATIONAL RECONSTRUCTION AUTHORITY

National Reconstruction Authority (NRA)

Introduction
The National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) was established with the main objective of rapid reconstruction of the physical damages caused by the massive earthquakes of April 25 and May 12, 2015 and their aftershocks. 

It was officially established with the appointment of Mr. Sushil Gyewali as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) on 25 December 2015, according to the Article 3 of the Act Related to the Reconstruction of Earthquake Affected Structures, 2015. According to the Act, the term of the Authority shall be for five years. The Act provides that, if for any reason reconstruction work is not completed within the five-year period, the Government of Nepal may extend the term of the NRA for one year.

Altogether, 8,979 people lost their lives and 22,309 were injured in the 2015 earthquakes. Hundreds of thousands of private houses, government buildings, schools, health institutions and historic and archeological heritage sites were damaged. According to the Post Disaster Needs Assessment, 2015 prepared and published by the National Planning Commission, it was estimated that approximately 7 billion dollars equivalent of physical properties were damaged due to the Gorkha Earthquake. 

Scope of Work of NRA
According to Article 3(2) of the Act Related to the Reconstruction of Earthquake Affected Structures, 2015, the jurisdiction/scope of work of the NRA shall be as specified by the Government of Nepal by a notification in the Nepal Gazette. Accordingly, as per the notification in the Nepal Gazette by the Government of Nepal, 32 districts, including 14 highly affected and 18 less affected districts, fall under the scope of work of the NRA

Highly Affected Districts

Okhaldhunga, Dolakha,Ramechhap,Sindhupalchok,Kavrepalanchok,Sindhuli,Bhaktapur,

Kathmandu,Lalitpur,Rasuwa,Nuwakot,Dhading,Gorkha,Makwanpur.

Less Affected Districts

Sankhuwasabha,Bhojpur,Dhankuta,Khotang,Solukhumbu,Chitwan,Tanahu,Lamjung,Kaski,

Parbat,Baglung,Myagdi,Syangja,Palpa,Gulmi,Arghakhachi,Eastern Nawalparasi,Western Nawalparasi.

Objectives of NRA
The NRA’s overall objective is to promptly complete theeconstruction works of the structures damaged by the devastating earthquake of 25 April and May 12, 2015 and subsequent aftershocks, in a sustainable, resilient and planned manner to promote national interest and provide social justice by making resettlement and relocation of the persons and families displaced by the earthquake.

As per the Article 4(1) of the Act Related to the Reconstruction of Earthquake Affected Structures, 2015, the functions and duties of the NRA are as follows:

• To determine, or get determined, the damages caused by the earthquake,
• To recommend to the Government of Nepal for specification of the earthquake-affected area,
• To fix priority of the reconstruction,
• To approve necessary policies, plans, budget and programs with work schedules as required for reconstruction.
• To execute, or get executed, the reconstruction related works,
• To acquire lands in according to the procedures under this Act or assign any agency or official for such act, if it is necessary to acquire lands for the implementation of plans or programs related to reconstruction, integrated settlement and integrated housing
• To develop necessary norms/standards, identify appropriate sites, and formulate and implement or get implemented, the plans for development of integrated settlement, integrated house pooling, rehabilitation and relocation.
• To prevent any work done or about to be done for implementation of any project or program related to reconstruction or integrated settlement or give order to the concerned person to carry out such work only in conformity with the prescribed quality, standard or method 
• To order the concerned authority to remove any physical structure belonging to any person by providing compensation according to existing laws, if it is necessary to remove such structures for reconstruction,
• To prepare and execute, or get executed, programs related to human resource development, reconstruction and rehabilitation that are required for education, health, agriculture, industry, employment and reconstruction and rehabilitation,
• To provide required budget and other resources to the body responsible for reconstruction,
• To mobilize non-government organizations, private sector and communities for reconstruction, as needed
• To execute or get executed, the reconstruction work by choosing the appropriate method in collaboration with the governmental, private or non-governmental sector, community or foreign organizations based in Nepal and other organizations, as per need,
• To coordinate with various bodies to make reconstruction work effective,
• To build, or get built, the capacities of bodies involved in reconstruction work,
• To generate financial resources for reconstruction and arrange, or get arranged, for its effective utilization,
• To make, or get made, technical examination of damaged or unsafe physical structures and give order to the concerned person to remove or demolish such physical structures and if not removed or demolished, then remove or demolish them on its own and immediately order the concerned agency or official to recover the actual expenses incurred in such removal or demolition from the concerned owner as governmental dues,
• Provided that if the owner is not able to remove or demolish such structures because of economic poverty as prescribed, then NRA may give direction to any authority or official to remove or demolish such structures in governmental expense,
• To make inspection, examination, and monitoring or get inspected, examined or monitored, as required, the works executed as per the direction of NRA,
• To execute or get executed, other reconstruction related works in the earthquake affected areas. 

Institutional Arrangement:

The following organizational arrangement has been made in order to formulate policies and plans for works of the NRA, to approve reconstruction related policies and plans and to make reconstruction related work in an organized and effective manner.

Advisory Council – Chaired by the Honorable Prime MinisterSteering Committee – Chaired by the Honorable Prime MinisterExecutive Committee – Chaired by the CEO

Organizational Arrangement:

The following organizational arrangement has been made by the NRA for making the reconstruction and rehabilitation related works organized and effective.

National Reconstruction Authority Central OfficeCentral Level Project Implementation Unit (CLPIU)Grant Management and Local Infrastructure (CLPIU-GMaLI)BuildingEducationDistrict Level Project Implementation UnitGrant Management and Local InfrastructureBuildingEducation

Arrangements have been made for reconstruction of sectors such as archaeological heritage sties, buildings of security agencies and drinking water from concerned agencies/authorities.

The CEO and the Secretary

As per the Article 11 ofthe Act Related to the Reconstruction of Earthquake Affected Structures, 2015, there is a provision of a full-time CEO working as the chief of the NRA.

Similarly, Article 13 of the Act provides for a Gazetted Special Class Officer of the Civil Service as the Secretary.

Priority Area for Reconstruction:

The following have been specified as the priority area for reconstruction, under the Article 3 of Regulation related toReconstruction of Earthquake Affected Structures, 2015:

Additional support related reconstruction of private housing reconstruction, integrated settlement development and relocation of people and settlements at risk,Reconstruction related to public health institutions,Reconstruction related to public education institutions,Reconstruction related to archaeological and historical heritage sites,Reconstruction related to government buildings,Other public structures and infrastructures as deemed necessary for reconstruction by the NRA.

Total Cost of Reconstruction:

According to the Post Disaster Recovery Framework (PDRF) prepared by the NRA in 2015, the total cost of reconstruction is estimated to be Rs. 938 billion. However, after the mid-term review of PDRF in 2017, the total cost of reconstruction has been estimated at Rs. 630 billion.

Private Housing Reconstruction Grant:

The devastating earthquake of 2015 caused most damage to the private houses. The beneficiaries whose houses were damaged in the earthquake affected districts and identified by the NRA are being supported by the Government of Nepal through grants of Rs. 300,000 provided through the NRA to support the reconstruction of earthquake-resilient houses and by providing free technical assistance from locally-mobilized technicians. With the objective of safe reconstruction, arrangements have been made for disbursement of grant through the banking system, whereby the beneficiaries receive Rs. 50,000 in the first instalment, Rs. 150,000 in the second instalment and Rs. 100,000 in the third and final instalment.

Similarly, the Government of Nepal has been providing a grant of Rs. 100,000 and free technical assistance from locally-mobilized technicians for the beneficiaries listed for retrofitting. Arrangements have been made for the retrofitting beneficiaries to receive Rs. 50,000 in the first instalment and Rs. 50,000 in the second instalment through the banking system.

Appellate Committee

While performing the functions, duties and authority as per theAct Related to the Reconstruction of Earthquake Affected Structures, 2015, the parties not satisfied with the decision or order of the NRA may make an appeal to the Appellate Committee, which is a three-member committee chaired by a Judge designated by the Government of Nepal in recommendation of the Judicial Council from amongst the sitting Judges of the Appellate Court.

Goal of the NRA

The NRA is responsible for the reconstruction of 8,17,000 private houses, retrofitting of 70,000 houses, reconstruction of 7,553 public schools, reconstruction of 891 archaeological and historical heritage sites, reconstruction/retrofitting of 1,197 health institution buildings, reconstruction/retrofitting of 415 government buildings, and reconstruction of 383 security agency buildings. Apart from these, the NRA is also responsible for relocation of inhabitants of risky areas, reconstruction of rural roads, damaged universities, campuses, drinking water and other structures, and rehabilitation of earthquake victims.

For more information:

National Reconstruction Authority

Singha Darbar, Kathmandu

Phone No. 4211482, 4211465

www.nra.gov.np

email: info@nra.gov.np

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