Around 12,000 households in 11 most-affected districts by last year’s devastating earthquake have started rebuilding their homes after receiving the first instalment of the private housing aid.

 The data updated on Tuesday by the Central Project Implementation Unit (CPIU) under the Ministry of Urban Development shows that a total of 11,989 households in the districts have started reconstruction after receiving the first tranche of the aid. The government had initially announced Rs200,000 in housing aid in three instalments to around 7.5 million households, but later increased it to Rs 300,000.

 As per the latest decision, each eligible households from 33 districts, including the 14-most affected districts, would receive the housing aid in a break down of Rs50,000, Rs150,000 and Rs100,000 to rebuild their homes.

 The engineers deployed to the earthquake-affected districts have started collecting data and monitoring the reconstruction works of the households that have received the first instalment of aid money. As per the government’s decision, households that complete rebuilding houses upto the plinth level following the government approved guidelines are eligible for the second instalment of the grant.

 “The rebuilding of damaged houses has started in many districts. The data collection has started and the number are expected to increase in the coming days,” said Shiva Hari Sharma, chief of CPIU.

Nuwakot has the highest number of houses being constructed at 3,162 so far, followed by Dhading (2,143), Sindhupalchok (1,583), Dolakha (1,214) and Kavre (994). According to Sharma, some of the households in Kavre, Gorkha, Ramechhap, Makwanpur, Okhaldhunga, and Rasuwa districts that have completed the construction works up to the plinth level have already requested for the second instalment of aid money.

The National Recons-truction Authority have signed tripartite agreements with 470,524 households for the housing aid since April this year. Out of them, 432,738 households have received the first instalment of the aid.