DHANGADI, JANUARY 2
The flood victims of Sudurpaschim are yet to receive relief materials announced by the government. The displaced families are facing problems due to delay in distribution of relief materials.
The province government has received Rs 25 crore in disaster management fund this running fiscal. The government claims that the amount collected as fund was sent to all the districts, but authorities in the district say they are yet to receive the amount. It is said that the major hurdle in distributing relief is lack for clarity about the heading under which the relief amount will be distributed.
Bajhang Chief District Officer Mohan Adhikari said the budget meant for victims had not been received. He added that the province government would send the details of the same.
"We will distribute the relief account according to the instruction given by the province government," he added.
The relief could not be distributed in Doti as no law clarified about distributing the amount. Doti Chief District Officer Shankar Bista said relief would be distributed as per the work procedures.
He added that the government's act and work procedure were not clear and this had caused the delay. "The amount is yet to reach the district," he said, adding that the amount would be spent as per the procedure sent by the province government.
The government sent the amount to Bajhang and Doti more than two months ago as the flood had caused damage in the two districts. But the budget is yet to reach other districts.
Meanwhile, Information Officer Laxmi Raj Joshi of internal affairs and law ministry said the amount for the nine districts of Sudurpaschim was released two weeks ago.
The province government has released Rs 35 lakh for Bajhang and Rs 30 lakh for Doti.
Bajura Chief District Officer Gopal Adhikari said the relief would be distributed to flood victims and Rs one lakh would be provided to those families who lost their members in the flood.
He added that warm clothes would also be provided to them in the winter.
He informed that the district disaster management committee would decide how the amount would be spent.
A version of this article appears in the print on January 3, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.
