KATHMANDU, Nepal–The government has decided to provide Rs 10,000 to each Raute family living in Dailekh as allowances to celebrate the Dashain festival. The meeting held at the Office of Prime
Minister and Council of Ministers decided to direct the Ministry of Finance to allocate the RS 400,000 through the Ministry of Home Affairs to around 40 Raute families in the district.
Earlier this month, a team of Rautes visited Prime Minister Sushil Koirala seeking financial assistance from the government to observe the upcoming Dashain festival. The Rautes have long been complaining that they were facing financial crisis.
An official at PMO said the concerned ministries and District Administration Office in Dailekh in far western region has been asked to facilitate the process and provide the allocated amount to the families before the festival.
Raute are a nomadic ethnic group officially recognized by the Government of Nepal. They are known especially for their hunting of Langur and macaque monkeys for subsistence. They live together and roam the forest in group seeking for the food.