SURKHET, March 11: A five-point agreement was reached between the Karnali provincial government and the agitating Badi community after the government agreed to meet their demands for food, clothes and shelter.
With this, the agitation of the Badi community, who have been protesting near the office of the Chief Minister and the Council of Ministers since February 22, put off their protest for now.
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The provincial government will request the federal government for land as per the agreement reached between Secretary at the Ministry of Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperatives Rajendra Mishra and Coordinator of the Badi Struggle Committee Hikmat Badi. “As the provincial government does not have jurisdiction, it will request the government of Nepal to make the land available,” the agreement read. “The state government will also make the necessary coordination for this.”
Similarly, the provincial government will form a three-member task force to submit a realistic report within two months for the upliftment and development of the Badi community in Karnali. Similarly, it has agreed to run additional programs for the Badi community in the current fiscal year under the Clothes, Food and Shelter Program as a part of the Chief Minister's Office.
Upcoming policies and programs for the upliftment and development of the Badi community in Karnali will include education, health, employment, arts, culture, skill-based training and income generation. As per the agreement, arrangement will be made to provide interest subsidy to youth entrepreneurs on loans up to Rs 1 million by forming a fund.
