Kathmandu May 16.

The government has adopted the policy of completing within fiscal year 2020/21 the reconstruction of structures damaged by the Gorkha Earthquake five years ago. This is stated in the government’s policy and programs for the fiscal year 2020/21, which President Bidya Devi Bhandari presented to the joint session of the Federal Parliament on Friday. It is stated that the potential and appropriate production centres would be determined for the easy supply of construction materials required for the post-earthquake reconstruction works by making policy and legal arrangements. So far, 495 thousand private houses have been rebuilt while the reconstruction of 402 of the 753 archaeological heritages damaged by the earthquake has been completed. It is stated in the policy and programmes document that 40 per cent of reconstruction works of the historic Dharahara and 70 per cent of reconstruction works of historic Ranipokhari have been completed. The government has the policy of expediting the reconstruction works with the easy supply of river-based construction materials without causing harm to the environment and bringing about river erosion.