The government has directed the local-level authorities in 14 districts that were most affected by last year’s earthquake to form community reconstruction committees at the ward level to expedite the rebuilding works.

During a meeting held on Wednesday, Sushil Gyewali, chief executive officer of the National Reconstruction Authority (NRA), urged the local authorities including local district officers and chief executive officers of the 14 districts to put the formation of these reconstruction committees on priority to facilitate rebuilding works, particularly distribution of the housing aid.

“The local-level coordination and mobilisation of local communities and authorities are crucial to address the issues delaying reconstruction. The complaints filed by locals who are waiting for housing grants also must be addressed,” said Gyewali at the meeting.

Around 43,000 complaints filed by locals of the 14 most affected districts are being addressed by the NRA.

The remaining complaints including the issues related with lack of land ownership documents, technical problems with guthi land and missing information will be addressed as soon as the housing grant working procedure is amended, he said.

The NRA submitted a working plan to the Steering Committee on Sunday with timeline after Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal sought the progress report on reconstruction works.

The latest working plan aims to complete the distribution of the first instalment of housing aid to all 7.5 million households by mid-February.

Similarly, the NRA has set the target of forming reconstruction committees at the ward level in all the 14 districts by the end of December.

The meeting was called by the Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development and attended by the local administration officials from 14 districts, chief executive officers from concerned municipalities and NRA officials.