Kathmandu, December 22

More than 4,000 households received the first tranche of housing grant provided by the Government of Nepal through National Reconstruction Authority, after the devastating earthquake of 2015, in Bhaktapur. However, only 810 households have registered for the second instalment of the housing grant in the district.

Nepal Reconstruction Authority has set some criteria to get second instalment of the  housing grant.  “To receive the second tranche, the beneficiary should complete the foundation of the house to damp-proof course and get it authenticated by a field engineer deployed by the government,” said Reeja Hachhetu, an engineer at NRA.

Out of 810 households, 641 have already received the fund. In the same way, there are just 360 households who registered their names for the third instalment.

“NRA does not have accurate data of the households who are in the process of constructing houses, we only have the data of the households who have applied for registering their names to receive installments,” said Hachhetu, adding that second and third installment  of the housing grant is given only after the  inspection of the houses by the engineers of NRA.

“Bhaktapur Municipality is still collecting complaints of earthquake victims through ward offices. Only 25 per cent households have registered their names to claim the second instalment,” said Hachhetu.

National Reconstruction Authority has asked beneficiaries to register names for the second instalment by January 14, 2018. But given the slow pace of reconstruction work in the district, it is very unlikely for the remaining 75 per cent households to meet the deadline.