KATHMANDU: Over 300,000 earthquake survivors included in the National Reconstruction Authority (NRA)'s list of beneficiaries have been certified for drawing the second installment under the private housing grant.

The NRA had set the deadline of April 13 this year for beneficiaries to receive the second tranche, who had earlier received the first installment in mid-January last year. This government body was formed to carry out post-earthquake reconstruction efforts in the aftermath of the April 2015 earthquake.

Those beneficiaries who are qualified for the second installment — following the completion of foundation-level construction — will be eligible to receive Rs 150,000.

A total of 314,124 beneficiaries had applied for the second tranche, the NRA said.

Among the beneficiaries eligible for the assistance in the second round, most of them are from Sindhupalchok district, where the beneficiary number stands at 51,009. This is followed by Nuwakot (41,794), Gorkha (36,865), Dolakha (34,028), Dhading (31,937), and Kavrepalanchok (23,945).

Even the beneficiaries of least affected districts have started becoming eligible for the second installment. Up until Sunday, 592 beneficiaries from Lamjung and 165 from Chitwan have been certified for the second phase grant.

According to NRA Spokesperson Yamlal Bhusal, among 697,635 beneficiaries who had signed an agreement with the NRA for grant, some 43.51 per cent becoming eligible for the second phase reflects good progress in the reconstruction efforts.

Likewise, the number of houses under construction in the 14 highly affected districts has reached 358,637 while the construction of 110,472 houses has been completed.