Kathmandu: In Nepal, many families from Rasuwa and Nuwakot, displaced from their homes due to floods, are still waiting for the monthly rental assistance promised by the government—even though more than two months have passed.
The Thapa family from Pairebesi in Uttargaya, Rasuwa, is among those forced to live in rented accommodation after losing their home in the floods. This family, which consists of five households, has yet to receive the monthly rental assistance of 15,000 rupees announced by the government. Due to the floods, family members have been scattered across different locations; some have moved to Kathmandu, while others are staying in Hetauda.
Tara Bahadur Thapa said, “Landlords come asking for rent, but the government has not provided the funds. Winter has set in, and we don’t know where to live now.”
The government had announced a monthly rental assistance of 15,000 rupees for displaced families with up to four members, with an additional 2,000 rupees for each extra member in larger families. However, the displaced individuals state that they have not received this support, even after more than two months.
Thapa mentioned that they received 15,000 rupees from organizations working in the area, along with 25,000 rupees for funeral expenses—but nothing else. “We have to pay rent every month. Where are we supposed to get the money? The government should, at the very least, make a prompt decision regarding where we will be resettled,” he said.
Flood-affected families in Gosaikunda, Rasuwa, have also complained about not receiving the government’s rental assistance. Singi Dhindup Tamang, a resident of Syabrubesi, stated, “The amount announced by the government has not arrived. Some organizations, in coordination with the local municipality, have provided 15,000 rupees per month to a few families for a period of two to three months.” For the displaced families from Syabrubesi currently residing at the Yellow Monastery in Kathmandu, it remains unclear where they will eventually be resettled. Tamang stated, “We visited Syabrubesi a few days ago to explore resettlement possibilities, but it seems that no progress can be made without a decision from the government. We do not know where we will live. Our wish is to remain in Syabrubesi and continue our livelihoods there.”
In the Bidur Municipality of Nuwakot, families displaced by floods have yet to receive the promised rental assistance. A local resident, Raj Nyaupane, noted that although the government had pledged a payment of 15,000 rupees, it has not been received. Most people here are currently living in rented accommodation; two months have passed, yet the rental support has not arrived. It was also mentioned that the municipality, with the help of international organizations, had invited applications from landowners seeking assistance for housing construction. However, the situation for families who do not own land remains uncertain.
Meanwhile, government officials state that the distribution of the announced aid has been stalled due to delays in verifying the actual number of displaced families.
The Gosaikunda Rural Municipality is also awaiting a decision from the federal government. The chairperson of the rural municipality, Kaisang Nurpu Tamang, remarked, “The delay is occurring because the government has not yet reached a decision. In our municipality, there is a need to construct approximately 400 homes.”
The Uttargaya Rural Municipality has provided financial assistance of 25,000 rupees to each displaced family. The municipality has also collected applications for rental assistance, though the final list of beneficiaries has yet to be determined.
