Uttam Narayan Kharel, acting chief of the Infrastructure Development Office, Dhankuta, informed that the program is being implemented with the objective of constructing houses for the homeless, poor Dalits, marginalized and helpless families.
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The Ministry of Physical Infrastructure Development of Koshi Province is going to provide cash grants to the homeless poor citizens for the construction of houses. The 'Janta Awas Program' has been launched in all 14 districts targeting poor Dalits, marginalized, helpless and senior citizens.
The program is being run with the objective of constructing houses for the homeless poor, poor Dalits, marginalized and helpless families, informed Uttam Narayan Kharel, Acting Chief of the Infrastructure Development Office, Dhankuta. According to him, Rs 2.5 million has been allocated in Dhankuta for the current fiscal year.
The ministry has planned to distribute grants by dividing the 14 districts into three categories. Jhapa, Morang and Sunsari have been placed in 'A' category. Beneficiaries in those districts will receive a grant of Rs 500,000 for the construction of houses. Dhankuta, Ilam and Udayapur have been placed in 'B' category, where beneficiaries will be provided with Rs 550,000. Similarly, the ministry has stated that eight districts including Tehrathum, Bhojpur, Khotang, Panchthar, Taplejung, Solukhumbu and Sankhuwasabha will be placed in category 'C' and a grant of Rs 600,000 will be provided there. Under the
program, priority will be given to the poor, destitute, Dalit, marginalized, helpless, senior citizens, single women (widows), families with orphaned children and families with low income. To become a beneficiary, the applicant will have to self-declare that he/she is destitute. In addition, he/she should not have taken double facilities from the federal, provincial or local levels. If the land is landless, the land should have been acquired from the local level or other bodies, the land for the house should be free from disputes, and if the house is old, its condition, land ownership, family income status and other details have to be disclosed. Those who wish to participate in the
housing program can register their application with the Infrastructure Development Office or the secretariat of the provincial assembly member representing the concerned district in the provincial assembly. Kharel said that a selection committee of at least five members under the coordination of a directly elected provincial assembly member will decide on the final beneficiary.
Under the program, a house with two rooms, a kitchen, a veranda and a toilet will have to be constructed. There is a provision to build a house with a stone wall and a tin roof using local resources as per the design prepared by the provincial government. Kharel said that a 10-day public notice has been issued for the operation of the program in Dhankuta. After the agreement is signed, 10 percent of the total amount will be paid, 20 percent after reaching the plinth level, 50 percent after reaching the lintel and window and door levels, and the remaining 20 percent after the construction is completed, Kharel informed.
Since the establishment of the provincial government, 360 houses have been completed in Dhankuta so far. 19 houses that were supposed to be built with government subsidy are still incomplete. Rs 131.36 million has been spent on the construction of those houses. Rs 1.344 million is yet to be paid for the 19 houses that are incomplete, Kharel informed.
Last year, although beneficiaries were selected for the construction of 33 similar houses in Dhankuta, the construction work has not yet begun.
