It is a matter of pride that Nepal has made a remarkable progress in the post-quake reconstruction despite a myriad of challenges. The government had set up the National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) on December 25, 2015 following the big earthquake to give an impetus to the reconstruction campaign. The NRA was entrusted with the responsibilities of rebuilding private houses, heritages, educational institutions, health facilities, bridges and other vital infrastructures ravaged by the April 25 earthquake and its aftershocks. The reconstruction drive was launched in January 216 with the slogan of ‘Build Back Better.’ In the beginning, the rebuilding works failed to gain the much-needed pace. And hundreds of thousands of quake-hit people had to stay in camps for some years due to delays in reconstruction of their homes. Children, elderlies and those suffering from various chronic diseases had to face unbearable difficulties, especially in hot and rainy summer and cold winter.

However, the reconstruction drive was brought on track in due course of time with the NRA receiving all the required support and cooperation from the government, local communities as well as the donors. People in Barpark of Gorkha district, the epicentre of the devastating earthquake, and all other disaster-affected areas have now returned to their new houses. This is really a great achievement. The NRA, in close coordination with different donors and other agencies, has rebuilt many heritages, schools, homes and offices. After completing the basic reconstruction and rehabilitation works of infrastructures damaged in the disaster, it has already handed over the responsibility of the remaining tasks to concerned ministries, departments and agencies of the government.

Even the international community has applauded Nepal for carrying out the post-quake reconstruction successfully. Addressing the International Conference on Nepal’s Reconstruction (ICNR) 2021, which started in the capital on Wednesday, representatives of various friendly nations and other bilateral and multilateral donors observed that the country’s reconstruction endeavours were exceptional. Among the donors, China has supported Nepal in the reconstruction of the Nine-Storey Palace at Basantapur, Arniko Highway and Durbar High School. India has also extended its help in rebuilding. With Indian assistance, some 50,000 private homes have been reconstructed in Nuwakot and Gorkha districts. Nepal received support of US$ 260 million and US$ 240 from Japan and the United States of America, respectively for reconstruction. The United Nations and the World Bank are other major donors supporting Nepal in the task of rebuilding.

As the earthquake had caused a huge loss to human life, private houses and public infrastructures in several districts, including Sindhupalchowk, Dolakha, Dhading and Gorkha districts, it was not difficult for the government to manage the post-disaster reconstruction. The tremor had taken the lives of about 9,000 people in different districts. So, immediately after the disaster, Nepal had held the first ICNR in a bid to manage resources for reconstruction. Initially, the donors had made a pledge of Rs. 425 billion for the post-quake relief and reconstruction. But the real pledge stood only at Rs. 325 billion. Nepal has highly commended the supporters, donors and partners of reconstruction for their important assistance. Inaugurating the ICNR-2021, President Bidya Devi Bhandari said that Nepal would build all physical structures and infrastructures robust enough to endure any disaster. She added: “Reconstruction work was a massive task amidst limited resources, complex geographical condition and state-restructuring process.”