The Gorkha District Development Committee (DDC) has stopped depositing the first instalment of housing reconstruction aid to the earthquake survivors’ bank accounts, citing end of fiscal year and changed political situation.

According to the National Reconstruction Authority’s (NRA) sub-regional office in the district, the DDC has not deposited the first tranche of the housing aid to the bank accounts of the earthquake survivors for the past 15 days. Consequently, the reconstruction work in the district has come to a halt. The NRA sub-regional office has signed aid agreements with 47, 945 families in Gorkha. The DDC has so far issued the first instalment of the reconstruction aid (Rs 50,000) to 17, 632 earthquake survivors. Chief District Officer Narayan Bhatta said the amount meant for the quake victims has been frozen and returned to the concerned ministry with the end of the fiscal year 2015/16.