6 Ashoj, Kathmandu: A steering committee meeting the National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) has recommended to extend the tenure of the Authority by a year. The17th committee meeting held on Monday evening under the chairmanship of Prime Minister and committee chair KP Sharma Oli took the decision to recommend the Council of Ministers for the extension by a year. NRA Chief Executive Officer Sushil Gyawali shared that the committee decided to recommend for tenure extension in a way to complete the reconstruction of private houses and important structures including Dharahara which was adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The meeting of the direction committee, also attended by chief of the main opposition party Nepali Congress in the House of Representatives, Bal Krishna Khand, allowed the NRA to continue its reconstruction work by 16 July 2021. In the remaining period of five months and 10 days, the Authority would work to have its audits done and hand over remaining work responsibilities to different government agencies and local levels. The tenure of the NRA was expiring on coming 25 December 2020. The Clause 3 of the NRA Act-2015 has specified a provision related to extension of tenure of the Authority. Also present in the meeting were its member and Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa, National Planning Commission Vice-chair Prof Dr Pushpa Raj Kandel, Prime Minister’s special economic advisor Dr Yubaraj Khatiwada, chief secretary Lokdarshan Regmi, secretaries of different ministries, NRA secretary Ram Krishna Sapkota and other committee members.
