High-level panel to undertake reconstruction works in Nepal

Nepalese President Ram Baran Yadav today approved formation of a high-level committee to undertake reconstruction projects in the areas hit by the two powerful earthquakes that killed nearly 9,000 people and left a trail of destruction.
The President's office today issued a statement saying the ordinance forwarded by the government has been approved.
A cabinet meeting yesterday had approved the ordinance and Prime Minister Sushil Koirala subsequently recommended the ordinance to the President for his endorsement.
The government took the decision to issue ordinance with an objective to forming a high-level authority headed by the Prime Minister to oversee the reconstruction and rehabilitation work in the country, the statement added.

Although the main opposition party, the UCPN (Maoist), insisted on forming a mechanism on reconstruction through a legislative act, the government preferred an ordinance considering the June 25 conference on reconstruction of Nepal.
International donors wanted an outline of how financial assistance pledged for Nepal's reconstruction will be spent.
Nepal requires at least USD 5.15 billion to carry out reconstruction works in the earthquake-affected districts, a Post-Disaster Need Assessment report had estimated.
More than half a million buildings and many heritage sites were damaged in the April 25 earthquake and subsequent aftershocks which claimed nearly 9,000 lives.