Forty-six impoverished families living in three local units in Rukum (East) can now hope to own their homes, as the provincial government has decided to provide them houses under the People’s Housing Programme (PHP).

Under the programme, the provincial government has pledged to provide Rs 333,000 each to the 46 recipient families to construct a two-room house in the current fiscal year.

The programme is coordinated by a committee led by Tej Bahadur Oli, a provincial lawmaker. The committee’s other members include the Chief District Officer, the District Coordination Officer and Chief Administrative Officers of the three local units. The houses are being constructed at Sisne Rural Municipality Ward No. 4 and 8, Bhume Rural Municipality Ward No. 1, 2 and 9 and Puthauttarganga Rural Municipality Ward No. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 8.

According to the committee, the respective rural municipality office will decide which family will receive the sum under the programme. Tej Bahadur Oli, a provincial lawmaker and the coordinator of the committee, said that the provincial government has allocated Rs 15.3 million for the programme in the current fiscal year. He said, “Impoverished people living in the 10 wards of the three local units will have to fill up a form for the selection process. Then the rural municipality office will select the recipients.”

In the last fiscal year, the provincial government had started construction of five houses for impoverished families in Kol, Puthauttarganga. Govardhan Budha Magar, deputy chief at Sisne Rural Municipality, said that the houses have been constructed for the families of Man Bahadur Damai, Dhanpura Sunar, Tiramala Kami, Ram Prasad Kami, and Tilpuri Damai. He said, “The construction work is yet to be completed. The project got delayed due to budget shortage.”

The government has launched the campaign provide housing facilities to poor and marginalised people nationwide.