KAVRE: Distribution of social security allowance has come to a halt, as employees of District Development Committee Kavre have been involved in relief distribution and data collection of quake victims in the district.

Disruption in distribution of the allowance has hugely affected senior citizens, children and people from marginalised communities. “We expected the allowance to be provided every four months. But we have run out of cash since the money was not provided,” complained an elderly from Banepa.

As per Social Security Programme Operation Procedure 2012, allowance will be provided every four months compulsorily.

Kavre LDO Chiranjivee Timilsina admitted that they could not distribute the allowance as staffers and other officials at the DDC were busy with rescue and relief operation after the tremor.

“We have released the allowance amount and VDC secretaries will distribute it soon,” assured Timilsina.

Kavre DDC has been releasing allowance for 76 VDCs and four municipalities in a single package. However, after a provision was made to make the deputy secretary an executive officer at Banepa Municipality, the ministry has started providing allowance directly and not through DDC.

Social Security branch’s Laxmi Deuja said that they had blocked the amount to those VDCs, which failed to submit details of allowance distribution. According to Deuja, 38 VDCs were yet to submit details of distribution of the second quarterly allowance. Panauti, Panchkhal, and Kashikhanda municipalities are also yet to submit details of allowance distribution.

Four months ago, Rs 50 million was distributed as second quarterly allowance to the elderly, children, and marginalised people.

The government provides Rs 500 to the elderly, single women, and Dalits. Similarly, Rs 1,000 is given to the handicapped and Rs 300 to the partially handicapped, while Rs 1,000 is provided to the endangered races.

Biswonath Dahal, VDC Secretary and chair at Right and Welfare Protection Centre, said allowance distribution was disrupted as responsibilities of the secretaries had doubled in the post-disaster situation.

“VDC secretaries failed to submit details of allowance distribution as they were busy with relief and rescue operation,” Dahal said.

The Office of Controller of Treasury and Accounts said it had released the budget for the allowance. Chief district treasury Controller Ram Bahadur Khadka said allowance had been provided to the elderly and physically disabled after completion of the process.