Sankhuwasabha, May 6:

Two million rupees released by the Ministry for Peace and Reconstruction for people displaced by the conflict in district is yet to be utilised, as no one came to claim the relief fund.

The amount was meant to assist displaced persons to return to their homes and provide food support to them for a certain time before they could resettle in their homes.

The budget was released as per the government’s decision on October 11. However, it has not been disbursed as no one came to claim the support, the Sankhuwasabha District Administration Office said.

The administration can provide Rs 300-1,000 transport fare; Rs 500 for food on the way to home and Rs 7,200 for food for four months. The displaced families are also eligible to claim up to Rs 2,400 for the education of their kids; Rs 7,500 for the repair and maintenance of their houses and up to Rs 20,000 in case they needed to reconstruct the houses, the administration DAO said.

The ministry had asked the DAO to furnish the details on the use of the fund, but the DAO has nothing to send, as the fund has not been utilised, said assistant chief district officer Krishna Prasad Subedi.

According to earlier reports of human right groups, 132 families were displaced by the conflict in the district. Of them, 60 families have already been rehabilitated.

District representative of INSEC Lila Prasad Shrestha said there were 62 families who need rehabilitation. But none of the 62 families has approached the DAO for the relief fund.

Earlier, 40 families had claimed Rs 5,000 each for rehabilitation. The Ministry of Home Affairs had made the fund available.

Subedi said the administration could release the relief fund if any displaced person approaches the DAO, along with documents verified by his or her respective VDC.