Donors Pledge $4.4 Billion for Quake Recovery
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IBN DISPATCH Year:1, Issue:5, Ashad 2072 (June-July 2015) Monthly Newsletter Donors Pledge $4.4 billion for Quake Recovery KATHMANDU: The donor53 countries and donor agencies, apex policy-making body of community’s pledge of $4.4 billion in around the world. the government, estimates that the June 25 Donor Summit has given The overwhelming response from $6.7 billion will be required to a much needed boost to Nepal’s the donor community for post-quake carry out reconstructions works. post-earthquake recovery efforts.recovery has brought enthusiasm to The government had expected Development partners invited Nepal government, which has been to secure pledges as much as at the ‘International Conference struggling with scarcity of fund to $3 billion from the donors. The on Nepal’s Reconstruction-2015’ implement rebuilding works. donor community has stressed held in Kathmandu, made the Responding to concerns from donors on the necessity to exercise commitment, which will comprise about utilization of fund, Nepali transparency and enhance of grant as well as soft loan. The officials have expressed commitment capacity in order to properly commitments also include technical to maintain zero tolerance to any manage resources to ensure better assistance, consultancy service and kind of corruption and irregularities implementation of rebuilding goods necessary for reconstructions. in implementation process. plans envisioned in PDNA. Most The one-day event brought together The Post-Disaster Needs Assessment of the donors’ supports will focus around 250 representatives, (PDNA) prepared by National on reconstructions of damaged including senior ministers, from Planning Commission (NPC), infrastructures, public buildings, 0 Three Gorges team visits West Seti site............................. 0 IBN stages farewell to Bhandari, welcome to Dhungel ............................. INSIDE 0 Dangote and GMR deposited relief amount to PM fund ............................. 2 Dangote, GMR Support for Earthquake Victims KATHMANDU: The Dangoteinvestment worth US$ 550 million. had expressed committment to Group, Nigeria’s largest business The plant will have the capacity to begin construction of the plant conglomerate, donated Rs 100 produce 6,000 tons of cement per by the end of October, 2015. million to the Prime Minister day. Zouera Youssoufou, Managing Similarly, GMR Itd, the Disaster Relief Fund on June 17. The Director of the Foundation handed developer of 900-MW Upper assistance, which is meant for relief over the cheque to the Right Karnali Hydropower Project, and rehabilitation of earth-quake Honorable Prime Minister Sushil also contributed Rs 30 million victims in Nepal, was provided Koirala. DVG Edwin, Executive to the Fund the same day. R.V. through Dangote Foundation—a Director of the company, was also Sheshan, Vice-chairman of Corporate Social Responsibility arm present on the occasion. The Dangote GMR Energy Hydro handed of Dangote Group. The company top officials also interacted with IBN over the cheque to Prime is establishing a cement factory in officials during their visit to Nepal. Minister Koirala. Makawanpur district with planned During the talk at IBN, Dangote 3 IBN Organizes India Trip for Journalists KATHMANDU: Office ofDuring the trip, GMR arranged Times, Sachen Gautam from the Investment Board Nepal visits to its vocational training center Nayapatrika, Saroj Kafle from (IBN) organized a study trip to in New Delhi and various other Bizmandu.com, Sitaram Bilashi infrastructure journalists to India projects developed by GMR. from Gorkhapatra, Badri Gautam from April 24 to 27 (Baishakh 11- The team was, however compelled from Nepali Television, Ganesh 14). The visit, which was conducted to cancel the proposed visit to Tehri Kanchan Bharati, president of the in collaboration with GMR ITD—a Dam in Uttarakhanda due to the federation of Nepalese Journalists developer of 900-MW Upper devastating earthquake in Nepal ,FNJ in Surkhet, Naman Kumar Karnali Hydropower Project, was on April 25. Those participating Shahi, FNJ President in Dailekh aimed at providing an opportunity in the tour were Baburam Khadka and Ram Kunwar, FNJ President to infrastructure reporters to from Karobar business daily, Bhim in Achham. Rita Regmi, Section observe infrastructure projects in Gautam from Rajdhani Daily, Bikash Office at IBN, Prabhakar Ghimire, India including those developed Thapa from The Annapurna Post a Consultant at IBN and Buddha by the company itself. A total of Krishna Acharya from Kantipur, Maharjan, a GMR representative. 15 journalists representing Nepal’s Laxman Biyogi from Nagarik, A brief interaction between GMR influential media houses along with Ramesh Kumar from Himal, Rudra senior officials and journalists was representatives from IBN and GMR Pangeni from Republica, Rupak also organized on the occasion. participated in the four-day tour. D Sharma from The Himalayan 4 Evaluation Panel Seeks Experts’ Input Study for Chemical fertilizer plant KATHMANDU: A committee, Infrastructure Service Nepal Ltd was circulated through national formed to select a consulting firm submitted their proposals. newspapers, social media and for conducting a Detailed Feasibility The evaluation committee isforeign diplomatic missions Study for the establishment of a headed by IBN CEO Radhesh Pant based in Nepal in order to expand chemical fertilizer plant in Nepal, with members from the Ministry the accessibility for all potential has requested the office of theof Agricultural Development, bidders. The deadline for the Investment Board Nepal (IBN) to National Agriculture Research submission of the EOI documents arrange experts for the evaluation of Council, Agriculture Inputs was 30 calendar days from the the bidders’ proposals. Corporation (AIC) and Office of the issue date. Association of TATA A meeting of the evaluation Prime Minister. The committee is Consulting Engineers Limited, committee in this regard was held responsible to evaluate the proposals India and SILT Engineers and at IBN on 21 May (Jeth 7). The IBN and select a consultant to carry out Consultant Pvt. Ltd., Nepal, Jacobs Office had issued the Request forthe study. Consultancy in association with Proposal (RFP) notice to the short- The 16th meeting of the Investment Taylor-DeJongh and Eversheds, listed firms on February 09. Board, held on November 21, 2014 United Kingdom, Saipem S.p.A, In response to the IBN’s call, three (Mangsir 5, 2071) decided to request Italy, Projects and Development firms, Jacobs Consultancy inthe four firms to submit theirIndia Limited, India in association association with Taylor-DeJongh technical and financial proposals with PSA Consultants for Nepal, and Eversheds, United Kingdom, based on recommendations of the Infrastructure Development Projects and Development India evaluation committee. TBN had Corporation Ltd., India (iDeck) Limited, India in association issued a notice for Expression of in JV with IAT and Feedback with PSA Consultants for Nepal Interest (EoI) on September 03, Infrastructure Service Nepal and Infrastructure Development 2014 (Bhadra 18, 2071) inviting Ltd, submitted their EOIs to IBN Corporation Ltd., India (iDeck) eligible domestic and international office. in JV with IAT and Feedback firms for the purpose. The notice 5 Three Gorges Team Visits West Seti Site KATHMANDU: A high-level technical team from China’s Three Gorges International Corporation, a developer of the proposed West Seti Hydropower Project, visited the project districts to interact with local government agencies and initiate the planned preparation works for the project implementation. Representatives from Office of the Investment Board Nepal (IBN) and Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) accompanied the seven- member Chinese team from June 7- 13 ( Jeth 24-30) during the visit. The team conducted interactions with local officials of the Department of Roads and Local Administration to discuss how to improve the 11-km stretch of access road in Doti district. Improvement of Lamikhal- Talara section of the access road is necessary to ease transport of equipment and goods to the project’s dam site and intake area. Similarly, the team is also planning to fix locations to set up camps for the project staffs. The team is also assessing the post-earthquake situation in the project districts. Two Chinese technical teams have already visited the project districts twice in the last six months. The 750-MW West-Seti project covers four districts- Dadeldhura, Doti, Baitadi and Bajhang—of Far-Western Region. The 17th meeting of Investment Board held on April 13, 2015 had decided to approve Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to the company allowed the latter to carry out necessary geological study before the onset of monsoon. 6 Ordinance on Reconstruction Authority KATHMANDU: The Right Honorable President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav endorsed the ‘Ordinance on Authority for Reconstruction of Structures Damaged by Earthquake’ on June 22. A cabinet meeting recommended the ordinance for the President’s endorsement after the ruling political parties agreed to constitute a high level Reconstruction Authority. The authority will be headed by the Prime Minister, and includes four senior ministers. The Chief Secretary and vice-chairman of the National Planning Commission will be ex-officio members of the body. The government can nominate other three members as experts and appoint Chief Executive Officer at the body. The authority will be responsible to undertake the reconstruction work and forge coordination with