The discrepancy in the number of quake-hit families has emerged as a stumbling block in the distribution of identity card and Rs 15,000 cash package for quake victims. Authorities in a number of districts have experienced disputes at the local level on the authenticity of data on the quake-affected families. Officials in Nuwakot said they have been unable to distribute ID cards and cash relief meant for quake victims due to the mismatch in the number of households recorded in the recent census and the number of quake victims.

Though other earthquakes -hit districts—Sindhupalchok, Dolakha, and Dhading and Rasuwa—also face the same problem, they have expedited ID cards and cash distribution simultaneously.

As per the latest census, Nuwakot has around 59,000 households, but there are 76,000 households that have registered themselves as quake victims. A special team of engineers, sub-overseers, and accountants has been mobilized in Nuwakot VDCs and municipalities to re-confirm the data.

Nuwakot Chief District Officer (CDO) Koshhari Niraula said ID and relief distribution has not moved ahead due to the disparity in data. While the team mobilized in the villages for data verification have found people registering their names on more than one occasion, Niraula said the local politicians who had committed to resolving the dispute are silent about the issue. The government has released Rs 370 million to support the families rendered homeless by the earthquake, but officials say the amount will be insufficient since the number of households registered under the homeless category is very high. The government had released the fund based on the number of households recorded in the latest census. “We would be needing at least Rs1.20 billion if we are to provide funds to all those registered as homeless,” Niraula said.

In Dhading, officials are distributing relief cash despite the discrepancy regarding the number of victims. “We have received complaints about multiple registrants or fake victims in every village, but we have not discontinued cash distribution,” said Basudev Ghimire, Dhading CDO. In Rasuwa, only 9,000 households were registered by the census officers, but more than 12,000 households have cropped up as earthquake victims. The government has announced Rs 200,000 each to the families rendered homeless by the earthquake along with Rs15,000 emergency cash relief for building temporary shelters.