Kathmandu – Nepali government has finally opened the way for a reconstruction agency to spend 4.1 billion dollars pledged by foreign donors to help the massive number of people rendered homeless.
This is coming eight months after two separate earthquakes in April and May hit Nepal and killed 9,000 people, injured more than 22,000 and damaged or destroyed nearly 900,000 houses.
It also forced many to live in shelters built with tarps and iron sheets, even in freezing temperatures.
Sherdhan Rai, Minister for Information and Communication Technology, said it took until September for Nepal to create the National Reconstruction Agency (NRA).
“That the cabinet on Friday named a chief for the agency, giving it the green light to begin its work.
“The delays were due to wrangling between political parties, which frustrated many international donors.
Rai said the NRA would finalise the models for homes to be reconstructed and give financial assistance to people to rebuild their homes.
He also said the agency would be responsible to rebuild schools, hospitals, monuments, roads and office buildings in five years.
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UNICEF said more than 200,000 families affected by the tremors are still living in temporary shelters, at an altitude above 1,500 metres (4,920 feet) where harsh winter conditions would continue through February.(Reuters/NAN)