By Lalit Basel, Surkhet, June 21: Karnali provincial government has all set to introduce a unified policy for preservation and promotion of endangered Ratue community which runs a nomadic life in the hilly districts of the province.

The social development ministry is framing the policy for their socialization by protecting their culture and tradition.

Yagya Bahadur BC, social development minister of the province, said that as the endangered Raute community is a separate community with distinct culture and tradition, it was the duty of the state to protect them and for this a unified policy for their preservation was necessary.

He said that the works related to the Rautes would carried out as per the unified policy from the start of upcoming new fiscal year.

He said entry to the Raute settlement was prohibited as there was an increased interference of the outer community over the Raute culture and rites and that one door policy was adopted in distribution of relief to the Rautes.

He said the unified policy would incorporate security provisions that include shelter, cloth and food and that the ministry would work as per the policy to protect distinct values, norms and culture that the Rautes have.

Minister BC justified the ban on entry of outer community into the Raute settlement referring to sexual abuse of the Raute girls by people from outer community.

Compared to the past, population of the Rautes is dwindling. Minister BC expressed concern over it and pointed at the need to minimize malnutrition in the children of the Raute and foods for the community.

Krishna Prasad Kapri, secretary of the social development ministry of the province, said that it was necessary to protect endangered Raute community was it was an identity of Karnali province.

He said the Rautes would also be consulted in course of the formulation of the unified policy.

Presently, the nomadic community is living at the riverside of the Bheri River in Gurbhakot municipality in Surkhet. Guras Rural Municipality of Dailekh district has provided the Rautes an identity card and social security allowances. The population of the Raute is said to be 146 only.