Sixteen earthquake-affected Dalit families, who had long been living on public land at Kharsa Village in Sertung-8, Dhading, have received land deeds, making them eligible to apply for the housing reconstruction aid. 

These families had been unable to apply for housing aid because they could not prove title to the land where they had been living before the 2015 earthquake. 

With the land deeds provided by the non-profit Himalayan Health Care, they plan to apply at the National Reconstruction Authority (NRA), requesting for housing aid. The deeds were issued in the names of female members of the families.

Shambhu Singh Thakuri, district coordinator of the organisation, said each family received land deed for a plot measuring 4 aana and 1 paisa.  The organisation had bought the land for Rs 500,000.Harimaya BK, a land deed recipient, said her family hoped to receive Rs 50,000 from the NRA as first instalment of the housing aid by showing the land ownership certificate.

The other families are also planning to apply for the housing aid.There are still around 60,000 landless Dalit families in northern Dhading, who have been deprived of the housing aid as they do not have land deeds.