No second tranche of housing grant for earthquake victims

Kavre, January 16

The government decision not to provide second instalment of housing grant for rebuilding private houses after January 14 has hit quake victims hard in Kavre.

Quake victims, who failed to construct houses due to poor economic condition and inaccessibility to construction materials have been especially affected. Elderly and impoverished quake victims staying outside the district have yet to start construction work.

National Reconstruction Authority Kavre District Project Implementation Unit informed quake victims that it would not provide the second instalment housing grant for houses built after January 14.

Unit Chief Engineer Loknath Regmi said that his office would provide the grant amount for houses that have had Damp Proof Course done before January 14. “The grant amount will be closed until further notice,” Regmi said.

According to Regmi, more than 12,000 quake victims have received the second instalment grant money while more than 3,000 have received the third instalment grant amount.

Meanwhile, quake victims of Khanikhola and Mahabharat Rural Municipalities complained that they had not got the second instalment grant amount though they had sought the money almost five months ago.

National Reconstruction Authority district Coordination Committee has sought help and coordination from the NRA centre for masonry training and additional support for single women, elderly and impoverished people with regard to house construction.

NRA Kavre has planned to construct houses for the helpless, differently-abled, elderly people and single women and children below 15 years of age. NRA Kavre Coordination Committee Chief Dhruba Gaida said the centre had accepted their proposal and it was very good news for quake victims.