The National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) on Monday launched a monthlong special campaign, aiming to provide the first tranche of housing aid to all those from 11 districts who were affected by last year’s devastating earthquake.

As per the plan, the NRA will provide the first tranche (Rs 50,000) of Rs 200,000 housing grant to households from 11 districts by mid-September.

Of the total 339,462 households from 11 districts, who have signed aid agreements, the NRA so far has provided the first tranche to 49,749 households. The NRA has identified 533,454 households from 12 districts as beneficiaries of the housing aid.

The special campaign follows Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s announcement on August 4, the day he assumed office, that the government “will release the first instalment of the housing aid to all affected households within next 45 days”.

“We are committed to making this campaign a huge success,” said NRA Chief Executive Officer Sushil Gyewali on Monday while launching the special campaign. “The NRA will work to release the first instalment to bank accounts of all those households who have signed aid agreements, finish signing agreements with other affected households and address the complaints filed at various field and central offices of the NRA,” he added.

According to Gyewali, NRA officials will work extra hours, even during morning, evening and public holidays, to make sure all the affected households, who are identified as “true beneficiaries” in 11 districts, get the first tranche by the set deadline.

The assessment of damage caused to private households in Kathmandu Valley is underway and is expected to be completed by the first week of September. The NRA started assessing damage caused to private houses in the Valley recently. It so far has collected data of 3,187 households in Kath  mandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur districts.

The NRA has formed a central-level monitoring team, including secretaries from the concerned ministries, led by CEO Gyewali.

According to Ram Prasad Thapaliya, spokesperson for the NRA, lack of banking services and bank branches in remote parts of the affected districts is a major challenge. “We have already asked the local bodies to provide details about the need of branchless banks and mobile camps so that the housing aid could be released to beneficiaries smoothly,” he added.