Nepal

PM announces to increase reconstruction grant by Rs 1 lakh

PM announces to increase reconstruction grant by Rs 1 lakh

By THT Online

FILE: Earthquake survivors in Thumi village in Gorkha district construct their house as they lost their residence in the 2015 earthquake, on Sunday, July 17, 2016. After the government did not provide the committed grant assistance to them on time, locals have begun reconstruction on their own. Photo: RSS

KATHMANDU: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Sunday announced that the government would increase reconstruction grant for earthquake-affected families by Rs 100,000. Though the government had announced to provide the affected families with Rs 200,000 to help them rebuild houses, the quake survivors are yet to receive the grant even 17 months have passed since the tremor that killed nearly 9,000. But, PM Dahal, responding to a delegation of lawmakers from Sindhupalchok, one of the most quake-affected districts, said the grant amount now would be increased to Rs 300,000, the PM's Secretariat informed in a press statement today. He also announced that the survivors would get additional Rs 200,000 subsidised loan. Meanwhile, Dahal told the lawmakers that the he had already directed authorities concerned to collect names of the quake-affected households who missed the registration earlier. The delegation included lawmakers Amrit Bohora, Agni Prasad Sapkota, Mohan Bahadur Basnet, Sher Bahadur Tamang and Ramesh Lama. The Members of Parliament had also submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister, drawing his attention to various issues including delay in the post-earthquake reconstruction and obstructions along the Araniko Highway and Nepal-China border in Tatopani.