The Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) is conducting a census in 14 highly earthquake-affected districts to find out the exact status of the destruction and the needs of the survivors.

The CBS said that a census had been planned as a survey would not reveal the desired information about who needs what among the people affected by the quake. Once we find out the actual needs of each household, the required assistance package can be distributed properly,” said CBS Director General Bikas Bista. The CBS plans to conduct the census from December-end.

According to Bista, the CBS has been putting the final touches to the questionnaires needed for the census. “Before doing the census, we will conduct a pilot test,” he said.   

The CBS has been coordinating with the National Planning Commission, Federal Affairs and Local Development, Home and Urban Development ministries.

The districts hardest hit by the earthquake are Gorkha, Dhading, Nuwakot, Rasuwa, Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, Makwanpur, Kavre, Sindhupalchok, Dolakha, Ramechhap, Okhaldhunga and Sindhuli.

The government has pledged to provide Rs200,000 each to the families whose houses were destroyed to the point of being uninhabitable. The first instalment of Rs15,000 has been paid.

A total of 602,257 private houses were completely destroyed and 285,099 houses partially damaged by the earthquake.

A post-disaster need assessment (PDNA) report has showed that the country faced cumulative losses amounting to Rs700 billion due to the quake and the country needs Rs666 billion for reconstruction. Although donors have pledged a mammoth sum of $4.4 billion for reconstruction, the government has not been able to start work as the political parties have been fighting over the chief executive’s post in the proposed reconstruction authority.

Such a body had been formed previously through an ordinance, but it did not last long as Parliament did not endorse the edict. The parties still differ greatly on the proposed reconstruction bill, and the government has decided to permit the National Planning Commission to conduct the tasks of the authority until it is formed.