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Nu 302 mn granted since start of the lockdown
The Druk Gyalpo’s Relief Kidu received 13,409 applications from the start of the lockdown till date that is from 20th December 2020 until 14th January 2021. Applications had drastically reduced from November, averaging 10 per day in early December.
There was a surge immediately after the continuation of the Kidu was announced on 24th December 2020.
Nu 302 million has been granted since the lockdown to 96% of the applicants – this includes regular Kidu beneficiaries as well as lockdown support Kidu beneficiaries.
In the month of October, 22,191 applications were received and 21,504 were beneficiaries, 8,044 applications received in the month of November and 7,708 were beneficiaries. As of 14 January, 5,562 applications were received for the month of January 2021 and Kidu is being expedited for distressed individuals.
Ration support Kidu has been provided so far to over 1,000 households since the start of the lockdown, with the majority being in Thimphu
The Royal Kidu which was launched on 14th April 2020 has so far supported livelihoods for 34,384 people.
The Kidu will be extended by three months from January 2021 till March 2021.The fourth phase of the Relief Kidu will grant Nu 10,000 as full payment and Nu 7,000 as partial payments for the registered individuals.
The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on everyone’s life, but wage earners and the self-employed have been hit particularly hard. Most of the people shared that the second lockdown was unexpected and affected them in many ways.
Kumari took a loan from bank to open up parlor in Thimphu but not too long after she opened her business, the COVID-19 pandemic came in and since then she is not able to earn much. Whatever she had earned in those few months, all went on paying house rent and loans. Being a sole earner she said it is very difficult to make ends meet.
She has not paid the rent and although the house owner has not asked for it yet but she is worried that she might have to pay two months’ rent altogether which will be a huge amount for her.
She applied for Kidu in the first phase, which was very helpful and in between she did not get as she could earn enough to pay bills and make ends meet but after the second lockdown she has received Royal Kidu for the last month which has been very helpful.
“My biggest worry is how to pay rent which comes to around almost Nu 35,000 for the month of December and January and on top of that there are loans,” said Kumari.
Similarly, a couple who runs a restaurant in the heart of town said the restaurant is their main source of income and the couple is finding difficulty in paying rent and salary for the employees. They said their owners were kind enough to waive of 50 percent rent but nothing has been said for January month. The couple has also applied for Royal Kidu for the fourth phase because they are left with no options.
Meanwhile, applications are open for new applicants who have been displaced by the COVID-19 pandemic and for those who had previously applied or had received the Kidu during the 3rd phase are not required to re-apply.
The new applicants can apply by either contacting the Dzongkhag Administration, Dasho Drangpon or visit the relief Kidu website at www.royalkidu.bt or contact 1186/1187 or 1188 (toll free) or 1184 (for Phuentsholing or Chukha).
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