KARNALI: Karnali State government is soon distributing citizenship cards to nomadic Rautes of Karnali State.

Ministry of Social Development of the state government said it would provide citizenship cards to Rautes on the basis of the identity cards which were issued to them by the Gurans rural municipality of Dailekh district. The population of Rautes in the rural municipality is estimated at 146.

The Gurans rural municipality had last year issued identity cards to Rautes. According to secretary Man Bahadur BK at the ministry, the ministry is preparing to provide the citizenship cards to Rautes based on the identity cards.

This would make it easy for the local governments to provide social security allowance and other government facilities. Meanwhile, Chief District Officer of Dailekh, Laxmi Prasad Baskota informed that the district administration has already initiated the process for issuing citizenship cards.