In the aftermath of the April 25 earthquake in Nepal, a new debate has been triggered between the Nepal government and donor agencies over relief distribution and the reconstruction mechanism as some donors want to fund projects and programmes in their own way.
Several international non-governmental organisations and donor agencies have not routed their funds, both cash and kind, through the government channel irking the Nepali authorities. According to them, the government does not have the capacity to reach out to the victims.
Similarly, donor agencies and friendly nations, apart from India and China and some Asian nations, are not much interested in putting money in the national basket or the Prime Minister's Disaster Relief Fund.
The finance ministry, in its meeting with the donor community last week in Kathmandu made clear that all funds should be routed through the government channels or the Prime Minister's Relief Fund.
The fund is presently not receiving money as anticipated from the international and donor community due to the tussle between the government and donor agencies. The Nepal government has already announced a $2-billion reconstruction fund and already called upon the international community to contribute to it for the Himalayan nation's reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts.
The finance ministry is organising a comprehensive donor meeting on Wednesday where it will reiterate the government's position, Madhu Marasani, chief of Foreign Aid Coordination Division at the finance ministry told IANS.
Lawmakers, while discussing in parliament on Monday the government's efforts for relief distribution, sought the modalities of foreign aid. They urged the government to stick to national priorities and advised the government not to accept funds out of government channels.
Also Read
They also gave the example of Haiti, a Caribbean nation that was jolted by an earthquake in 2010 which killed 300,000 people. The country has not been able overcome the crisis till now due to poorly managed foreign aid and aid agencies pouring money bypassing the Haitian government.
MPs from both ruling and opposition parties urged the government to keep national security as the core concern before accepting such foreign aid and urged the government to inform the international community about the same.
LAwmaker Siddhi Lal Singh of the ruling coalition partner CPN-UML said that "we should check what foreigners are doing here".
"Let's check their activities, and monitor them," he said
Over a dozen lawmakers who spoke in parliament expressed concern over the activities of donor agencies and criticised them for their own way of doing things in Nepal bypassing the government channels.
(Anil Giri can be contacted at girianil@gmail.com)