JAJARKOT, Dec 22: People from the poor families in Jajarkot have started protests demanding that the government scrap the poverty certificates issued to people who are not poor.
The protesters claimed that even those with strong financial backgrounds have been successful in acquiring government identity cards meant for the people living below the poverty line. Venting their ire against the authorities concerned for not recognizing the real poor people, the protesters submitted an application to the Chief District Officer (CDO).
Poverty: A Multidimensional Problem, Nepalese Context
In the application, around 150 locals of Warekot Rural Municipality have accused the government of distributing poverty ID cards to people with government jobs and those with enough land and property and good income sources. Stating that this was unfair to the real poor, they have urged the government to scrap such "fake poverty ID cards".
According to Dal Bahadur Shahi of Warekot-7, a large number of really poor and marginalized people have been excluded from the list of poor while the fake poor have made it to the list.
Expressing their disappointment against the government for not including them in the list of poor, the agitating locals collected Rs 10 each and handed the amount to the CDO, asking him to send it to the government. Ganga BK of the village laments that the government did injustice to the poor people like her by not providing them the poverty ID cards. She demanded action against the government officials involved in providing poverty ID cards to the well-offs, and not to the poor people despite identifying them.
In Warekot, the government distributed poverty ID cards to 1,101 people. Mahendra Bahadur Shah, chairperson of Warekot, stressed that distributing poverty ID cards is not enough and the government should do "something tangible" for the people. He, too, said that a large number of poor people have been deprived of the poverty ID cards.
Acting CDO Krishna Khatiwada said that the issues mentioned in the aapplication wouldbe discussed with a probe committee formed under the leadership of CDO.
He also assured that an investigation will be conducted and necessary action will be taken against the fake poor and those issuing poverty certificates to them.
