By Gokarna Dayal
Baitadi, Feb. 8: Shivanath Rural Municipality, in Baitadi district, has provided a medical relief worth Rs. 453,000 to 57 needy people from the Disadvantaged Citizens’ Assistance Fund.

The municipality provided financial aid for the treatment of its 57 vulnerable people, who have been suffering from various ailments for long, but were unable to receive treatment due to their poor financial condition.
Chairman of the municipality Karna Saud said the fund was set up to provide financial assistance to those genuinely needing financial assistance for treatment.

The municipality has decided to provide financial assistance for the treatment of four orphans and those suffering from cancer, heart ailments, eye problems who needed surgery or those injured in road accidents.
Saud said, "The financial assistance will be provided to those suffering from various ailments but has been unable to treat them due to their poor financial condition.”

The programme was initiated after realising that it was the responsibility of the local government to provide medical treatment for the needy, he added.
The municipality on Monday issued a notice with the name list of the beneficiaries receiving financial aid for their treatment and also asked them to receive the assistance.
Khette Saud, a cancer patient of Shivanath-3, expressed his happiness after knowing that his name was in the list.

Saud is receiving a financial assistance of Rs. 25,000 for cancer treatment.
Similarly, four orphans of Shivanath-6 have received financial assistance of Rs. 40,000 from the municipality to treat their illness, said their patron Ganesh Singh Dhanadi.
The locals have expressed their gratitude to the municipality for providing assistance to those in desperate need.