Around two dozen Nepali Congress lawmakers, a majority of earthquake-affected districts, on Tuesday called on Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and urged him to cut through all the red tape to make sure that quake survivors get housing grant to rebuild their houses within a month. 

The lawmakers from the main opposition also pressed PM Oli to provide the government-announced Rs 200,000 housing aid at once, instead in three phases.

Submitting a memorandum on Tuesday, two days after the country marked the first anniversary of the earthquake, the NC lawmakers also urged the prime minister to ensure an environment whereby survivors can rebuild their homes before monsoon. 

They also criticised the government for putting in place what they called a “very lengthy process” for the distribution of housing aid. 

The government started distributing Rs 200,000 housing aid almost a year after the devastating earthquake, and officials say it will take at least three months to distribute the first installment of Rs 50,000. 

“The government seems totally indifferent towards providing relief to the earthquake victims,” reads the memorandum that was submitted by NC lawmaker to PM Oli.

Kanchan Bade Shrestha, a lawmaker from Kavre-2, one of the quake-hit districts, said there has been very little progress in the field to address the plight of the earthquake victims. “We are visiting rural areas where people are yet to get government-announced grants. Government officials are delaying the process in the name of re-verification. At this rate people will not be able to build houses before monsoon,” said Shrestha. “The National Reconstruction Authority is totally dysfunctional and there is also a lack of transparency and accountability.”

After receiving the memorandum, PM Oli said the government was taking measures to provide relief to the earthquake victims as soon as possible. 

According to NC leader Dhanraj Gurung, PM Oli assured the Congress lawmakers that earthquake-affected people would be able to build their houses before monsoon.