The government has announced to provide Rs 200,000 as grant to around 600,000 families in 14 districts who lost their homes in the earthquake. The amount, however, has not been released yet.Speaking at the committee's meeting on Monday, lawmakers said the amount pledged by the government is too little to build homes in hilly and mountainous areas. They also said delay in formation of National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) due to political bickering was affecting quake-hit people.
The lawmakers also suggested to the government to distribute the grant in three installments instead of the government preparation to distribute the amount in four installments.
Answering queries raised by the lawmakers, Yubaraj Khatiwada, vice chairman of NPC, said the government does not have resources to increase grant amount. He also said the budget of Rs 91 billion allocated for reconstruction is insufficient to distribute the pledged amount to 600,000 households.
The committee has directed the government to table the NRA Bill at the parliament without further delay and forge consensus among political parties to endorse the Bill.
Even eight months after the earthquake, quake victims are still living in temporary shelters.
Because of the failure to endorse NRA Bill, the government last week decided to entrust the task of overseeing reconstruction works to National Planning Commission until NRA is formed.
The committee has also asked NPC to immediately initiate rebuilding of public structures like schools, suspension bridges and roads in quake-hit districts. Khatiwada told the committee that NPC will ask ministries to submit rebuilding programs by next week.
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