With Nepalgunj's housing insurance program successfully providing financial relief to disaster victims, other municipalities are preparing to expand it.
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Uttam Singh Punjabi, a resident of Nepalgunj Sub-metropolitan City-7 in Banke, had his house destroyed by the incessant rains in Bhadra last year. His family was in great stress after the house they had built with great difficulty was damaged.
All the family members had fled to save their lives. They had small children with them. On top of that, they were worried about how to finance the construction of the house again. Uttam Singh, who was worried about how to build the house, became a beneficiary of the housing insurance program implemented by the Nepalgunj Sub-metropolitan City.
Punjabi's house has been rebuilt after receiving a claim payment of Rs 232,900 under the insurance provided by the National Insurance Company. The Punjabi family expressed happiness after receiving the insurance amount. 'I was wondering why I had to insure my house before. After the house collapsed, I realized the importance of insurance. Now, I am in a situation where I am in debt because of that insurance. The housing insurance program is a great support for poor and low-income families during disasters.
A check of 232,900 was handed over to him. After the head of the Nepalgunj branch of the National Insurance Company, Navin Poudel, handed over the check to Mayor Bista, Mayor Prashant Bista handed over the check to Uttam Singh Punjabi as the first beneficiary. For the first time in the country, the first insurance claim payment under the housing insurance program has been handed over.
Mayor Bista informed that the program, which was started in two wards, has now been expanded to Wards 8 and 11 and that there are plans to include vulnerable families from all wards in it in the coming days.
Nepalgunj Sub-metropolitan City has implemented the housing insurance program in Wards 3 and 7 to reduce disaster-related risks. So far, 184 families have joined it under the program, which is targeting vulnerable families. Mayor Bista said that the housing insurance program was implemented with the aim of preparing the basis for security before the disaster rather than distributing relief after the disaster.
Influenced by such a program launched by Nepalgunj, Narainapur Rural Municipality, Kohalpur Municipality and Khajura Rural Municipality are preparing to implement it from this fiscal year.
According to Disaster Focal Person Dipendra Shrestha, houses at high risk due to natural disasters, fires, floods and other risks have been identified and insured. 'We have insured houses in especially risky areas by giving priority to them, so that local residents can get financial relief in the event of a disaster,' Shrestha said, 'Earlier, citizens considered insurance a hassle. Now that they have started receiving benefits, trust in the community is increasing.'
Here, the insurance premium is borne by the sub-metropolitan city, while arrangements have been made to provide up to 1.5 million rupees to the insured depending on the damage.
The Super Program is providing technical cooperation in disaster preparedness and management. The Super Program, run in Nepalgunj Sub-metropolitan City with financial support from the European Union and partnership with UNDP, UNICEF, UN OMAN and HI, and technical assistance from CDM Nepal and the Red Cross, is coordinating with Nepalgunj Sub-metropolitan City for disaster preparedness and response and conducting disaster risk reduction activities.
After assessing the damage, insurance coverage of up to 1.5 million is provided by the national insurance company. The program has now been expanded to Wards 8 and 11, said Rupan Gyawali, Information Management Officer of the Emergency Operations Center.
It is said that the insurance program launched by Nepalgunj will also be implemented by Narainapur, Kohalpur and Khajura rural municipalities from this fiscal year.
The sub-metropolitan city has stated that it aims to make Nepalgunj a safe and disaster-tolerant city through this program. There are plans to expand it to more wards in the coming days and bring all vulnerable houses under the insurance coverage.
