Kathmandu, June 9: The government has clarified that not all squatters displaced from the riverbanks of the Kathmandu Valley will be eligible for the recently announced relocation assistance package, which includes a one-time payment of Rs. 25,000 and a monthly allowance of Rs. 15,000.
The government on May 19 approved the financial support package as part of efforts to manage and rehabilitate squatters removed from riverbank settlements.
The government also announced an additional Rs. 2,000 per month for households with more than five family members. However, officials say the benefits will be provided only to those verified as genuine landless squatters.
Mahesh Bahadur Singh, Senior Divisional Engineer and Environment and Premises Sanitation Focal Person at the Ministry of Infrastructure Development, said the government had decided to provide Rs. 25,000 as an initial resettlement grant and Rs. 15,000 per month for up to three months to help cover household expenses.
“The assistance will not be distributed to everyone. Only those confirmed as genuine landless squatters will receive the payments,” Singh told The Rising Nepal.
He said data collection is currently under way for both families staying in government-managed holding centres and those residing independently in rented accommodation or with relatives. The information is being gathered by the High-Powered Committee for Integrated Development of Bagmati Civilisation.
“Once the Committee completes the data collection process, either the Ministry of Land Management or the committee itself will verify whether individuals are genuinely landless. Only those who are confirmed as such will receive the assistance,” Singh said.
He added that families found to own land anywhere in the country, whether in their own name or inherited from their ancestors, would not qualify for the support.
According to Singh, preparations are also under way to collect the documents required for opening bank accounts for eligible families, through which the payments will be distributed. The Committee is overseeing these procedures.
Sociologist Khagendra Bista, one of the members deployed from the Committee to verify and register details of squatters, said that since April 25, a total of 2,608 households have registered their names. However, not all of them are currently staying in government holding centres.
Some are living with relatives, while others have rented accommodation. At present, 1,488 individuals from 388 households are staying in various holding centres across the Valley.
According to Bista, 294 people from 87 families are staying in a hotel in the Balaju–Machhapokhari area; 277 people from 65 families are housed at a holding centre in Kirtipur; and 355 people from 99 families are residing in Kharipati, Bhaktapur. Another 115 people from 24 families have been accommodated at the Agricultural Development Training Centre in Bode.
Similarly, 80 people from 21 families are staying at the Drinking Water Training Centre in Nagarkot, while 195 people from 45 families are housed at the Red Cross building in Banepa. Another 172 people from 47 families are being cared for at Inchangu Narayan Apartments at Raniban in Nagarjun Municipality-1.
“The process of collecting details of those staying in government facilities is ongoing. We have yet to call those who registered but are living elsewhere. We will invite everyone in due course,” Bista said.He said an investigation committee has already been formed to identify genuine landless households after the completion of the data collection process.
On June 2, the government formed a four-member committee under the chairmanship of Balbhadra Banskota to address land-related issues in the name of Land Problem Resolution Committee. Following data collection, the committee and the Ministry of Land Management, Co-operatives, Federal Affairs and General Administration will verify whether applicants own land elsewhere.
“Only those who do not own land will receive the financial assistance. If land is found in a person’s name, the government will not provide any support,” Bista clarified.
“Once the government transfers fund through the Ministry of Finance, we will start releasing the relief amount to them who have been confirmed as genuine landless people,” said Bista.
He said that no decision has yet been made regarding residents currently staying in holding centres who may later be found to own land. However, he believes such individuals may voluntarily leave the facilities once their land ownership is established.
Although no deadline has been fixed for the verification process, the work has already begun. Officials are collecting documents required for opening bank accounts. However, according to the government officials, some of the landless people residing in holding centres have denied opening bank accounts under different pretexts. #nepal
