Nepal quake: 40 pc reconstruction work complete, says NRA

Around 40 per cent reconstruction work of private and public structures in Nepal, devastated in the 2015 earthquake, has been completed and around Nepali Rs 71.52 billion spent, a senior official said here today.
Nearly 9,000 people were killed and 22,000 were injured in the twin earthquake that hit the country on April 25 and May 12, 2015. More than 600,000 houses were damaged due to the tremors, aftershocks of which still occur.
Nepal had set up the National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) in December 2015 to rebuild the private and public structures devastated by the quake.
During a programme organised to mark the NRA's second anniversary, its chief Yuva Raj Bhushal claimed that so far Nepali Rs 71.52 billion was spent in the reconstruction work, of which 40 per cent have been completed.

The quake badly damaged public and private buildings in 14 districts while that in remaining 17 districts were partially hit.
According to officials, out of the 7,553 school buildings damaged in the quake, reconstruction of 2,941have been completed with private and public initiatives while that of 1,004 others are in progress.

Out of the 753 shrines, reconstruction of 79 has been completed while work is underway on 314 others.
Similarly, out of the 483 damaged government buildings, reconstruction of 177 have been completed while that of 203 others are underway, they said, adding out of the 544 health facilities, reconstruction work of 244 have been completed while 93 others are still going on.

Out of the 3212 drinking water projects damaged in the tremor, work on 904 have been completed while 965 are underway.
The Asian Development Bank, the International Monetary Fund, China, India, Japan and the European Union are among the major donors, who have provided financial assistance for various reconstruction projects.
The government has so far disbursed the first instalment of financial assistance of Nepali Rs 50,000 to over 600,000 households in 31 districts across the country, covering nearly 98 per cent of the affected families, the officials said.
The government had committed to provide Rs 300,000 each to the affected families, of which 115,000 have received Nepali Rs 100,000.