Distribution of winter cash relief to quake victims on

Kathmandu, January 3

Concerned district disaster relief committees have distributed approximately Rs 3.2 billion to earthquake survivors in 21 districts for warm clothes as of yesterday, said the Ministry of Home Affairs.

According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, as many as 302,266 quake victim families of 21 districts have already been benefited from winter relief package of Rs 10,000 each. The distribution of cash relief is still under way.

Earthquake victim families of Ramechhap, Sindhuli, Dolakha, Sindhupalchowk, Kavre, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, Kathmandu, Nuwakot, Rasuwa, Dhading, Makwanpur, Gorkha, Lamjung, Tanahun, Syangja, Parbat, Gulmi, Palpa, Baglung, Myagdi, Solukhumu and Okhaldhunga are entitled to cash relief for warm clothes.

Relief distribution in Syangja and Baglung has yet to be started. Around Rs 6 billion has been released to the local bodies through district disaster relief fund of the concerned district for relief distribution.

More than 52,000 households in 23 districts have been deemed eligible for winter cash relief of Rs 10,000 each.

Many quake survivors are still living in tents and facing harsh winter without enough warm clothing to stave off the cold.

The freezing temperatures are particularly hard on vulnerable groups, such as the elderly, children, pregnant women and lactating mothers, who cannot approach the authorities for relief.

Meanwhile, officials said the government will start distributing a maximum of Rs 200,000 to the beneficiaries in three installments as per the ‘Procedure on Distribution of Grant for Reconstruction of Houses Fully Damaged in Earthquake, 2015’ once the winter relief is provided to all the earthquake victims.

The concerned house owner whose house has been fully damaged and cannot be reused, and the person or family who does not have any house apart from the damaged one will be entitled to the government grant.

The grant amount to be distributed to the beneficiaries will not exceed Rs 200,000 each and will be provided in three installments through banking channels.

Those who do not hold a bank account will be provided the grant in cash.

As many as 602,594 private houses were fully damaged and 284,486 other partially damaged in the April and May earthquakes, according to the Ministry of Home Affairs.