The National Reconstruction Authority has decided to provide rebuilding aid worth Rs200,000 to each household to be displaced by the proposed Budhigandaki Hydropower Project in Dhading and Gorkha districts.

The meeting of the NRA Steering Committee on Friday decided to provide the aid, promised by the government for the earthquake-affected families. Earlier, reconstruction of houses was not permitted in areas considered vulnerable to inundation from the hydel project.

The 1200 megawatt reservoir-type project is expected to impact more than 5,000 families directly while around 5,000 households would have to leave their place due to the threat from inundation once the project sets off.

The NRA committee also decided to recommend that the Cabinet provide Rs50,000 to each household partially damaged in the Gorkha earthquake last year. The amount would be used to repair, maintain and retrofit partially damaged houses.

A final data on the number of households partially damaged by the earthquake is yet to come, said Ram Prasad Thapaliya, the NRA spokesperson. The meeting decided to incorporate an integrated settlement plan to relocate vulnerable communities to safer locations, train at least 30,000 masons at the village level for rebuilding and to establish a resource centre in every electoral constituency.