Kathmandu, April 2

The National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) has said that grant distribution to beneficiary households in 17 districts that were less affected by the earthquake will begin from tomorrow.

NRA Chief Executive Officer Govinda Raj Pokharel will inaugurate the grant distribution process from Lumle village of Kaski district tomorrow, according to the NRA statement.

NRA has already completed the beneficiary survey in 586 village development committees (VDCs) and municipalities in 17 districts and data compilation of the beneficiaries in the remaining 177 VDCs and municipalities is underway.

During the initial survey of NRA, a total of 15,743 households were listed as beneficiary in 17 districts. The beneficiaries in 17 districts will also get Rs 300,000 as grant for reconstruction of quake ravaged houses in three tranches — Rs 50,000, Rs 150,000 and Rs 100,000, respectively. The households have to sign a grant agreement with local bodies, VDCs and municipalities to be eligible for the grant. NRA will use the banking channel to distribute the grant to the beneficiary households.

The 17 other districts that have been selected for the grant are Myagdi, Baglung, Parbat, Gulmi, Arghakhanchi, Parbat, Syangja, Palpa, Lamjung, Tanahun, Nawalparasi, Chitwan, Solukhumbu, Khotang, Bhojpur, Dhankuta and Sankhuwasabha.

The NRA has so far distributed grant to 98 per cent of the beneficiaries that have signed grant agreement with local bodies in the 14 worst affected districts. A total of 560,579 beneficiary households have signed grant agreement out of the total 626,695 beneficiaries in the 14 quake-hit districts of the central region.