The National Reconstruction Authority has directed the stakeholders concerned to continue disbursing second tranche of government aid for the reconstruction of private home destroyed in the 2015 earthquake.

The move follows reports from several quake-affected districts that the authorities and stakeholders concerned at the local level had stopped distributing the amount after the deadline expired in mid-July. "We have asked authorities to continue inspection of houses and disbursement of second tranche based on the progress achieved," said Manohar Ghimire, joint spokesperson for the National Reconstruction Authority (NRA).

According to Ghimire, the NRA circular has been dispatched to District Level Project Implementation Units as well as the officials at the local level. Engineers involved in the ground reporting have also been notified about it.

The NRA has also advised quake survivors to ask for necessary government support to continue the reconstruction works. "Those who have acquired the first instalment amount, but have not started construction of their home too are encouraged to seek funds," Ghimire said.

An NRA Steering Committee meeting chaired by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli in April had set the mid-July 2018 deadline for obtaining the second tranche of the government aid and the mid-January 2019 for the third.

Following the earthquake, the government had announced an aid of Rs200,000 per household in private housing rebuilding aid. It later increased it to Rs300,000 to be distributed in three instalments of Rs 50,000, Rs 150,000 and Rs 100,000.