With the opposition Nepali Congress obstructing Parliament proceedings for two days over the government’s failure to expedite the rebuilding works, the National Reconstruction Authority has been directed to speed up the distribution of housing grants to earthquake survivors.

The NRA Central Directive Committee headed by the prime minister issued instructions to the NRA on Friday.

However, the committee remained non-committal to the demand of the largest party that has asked the government to provide the Rs200,000 aid to the earthquake survivors as a lump sum.

“The aid amount will be provided in three instalments to all the affected families as soon as possible,” said Madhusudan Adhikari, acting secretary at the NRA.

With the lack of capacity and access to banking services in remote areas emerging as the main challenge in reconstruction aid distribution, the meeting also decided to start cash camps for the displaced people besides making branchless banking more effective.

“The meeting discussed ways to address the complaints filed by the victims,” said Adhikari.

With only 5,841 families receiving the first instalment of the pledged grant, the government is under pressure to speed up the process. It has signed aid agreements with 152,398 households in 11 affected districts so far.

More than 77,000 complaints have been filed at the NRA by the quake survivors. According to the Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development, the largest number of complaints are from Dolakha district, followed by Sindhuli, Ramechhap and Gorkha.