The Government had introduced Development Plan and Town Planning Schemes in all the four towns which sets guidelines for the city’s development over a decade and reducing congestion in the old city. Similar to the rural reconstruction, the housing in urban areas were also undertaken with an owner driven approach, with Government providing financial assistance, technical guidance, material specifications and technical supervision for building earthquake resistant houses; and people doing construction on their own. The Government housing assistance was given in 3 installments – 40% as first installment, 30% at the lintel level of construction and the remaining 30% at finishing stage of construction. The first installment was released in the beginning of 2002, however as the Development Plan and the town planning were under process, building construction permissions were delayed till Feb2003. In many cases, people had spent the first installment (40% of the total Housing Assistance) of the government assistance to meet their other needs like medical needs or resetting their livelihood; and so did not have enough money to reach the lintel level of construction, where they can get the second installment. In such circumstances, there was a need to extend a partial support to such families in terms of material or cash, so that they can access the second installment for construction. With the support from the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, 81 such families have been supported.
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