Deumai Municipality has started providing nutritional allowances as an incentive for those who register their child’s births on time. Birth registration is crucial as it opens the door to children’s rights, and these rights are ensured through timely registration.
Ghanshyam Khatiwada, 36, from Deumai Municipality-4, visited the ward office on August 22 to register his son’s birth on the 22nd day after birth. He initially thought that there would be a fee for the birth certificate. However, he was surprised to know that he would receive a nutritional allowance of 5,000. Deumai Municipality provides Rs 5,000 each for birth and death registrations when completed within 35 days. Gajendra Ekten, Finance Officer of Dubai Municipality, stated that under the ‘Maternity Infant Nutrition Program,’ every newly-mother residing in the municipality receives Rs 5,000 for registering her child’s birth within 35 days.
In the fiscal year 2023-2024, Deumai Municipality provided a total of Rs 11,35,000 in nutritional allowances to 227 pregnant women. Finance Officer Ekten stated that these allowances were given after the women registered their children’s births on time and submitted the registration documents to the municipality. In the previous financial year 2022-2023, Deumai Municipality provided Rs 15,60,000 in nutritional allowances to 312 pregnant women who were permanently residing in the municipality. Ekten said that to claim the nutritional allowance, applicants must submit proof of birth registration at the ward office within 35 days, be permanent residents of Dubai Municipality, and have undergone pregnancy examinations four times at any health institution.
Similarly, Mayor Surya Prasad Pokharel said that the ‘Maternity Infant Nutrition Program’ has been implemented to enhance the health of mothers and children by providing motivation and improving nutritional status within 35 days of pregnancy and delivery. Mayor Pokharel stated that the program for managing nutrition for pregnant women aims to convey a positive message and ensure quality health care for pregnant mothers and newborns. Additionally, Deumai Municipality provides Rs 5,000 in assistance for cremation expenses to the families of citizens within the city who have died for any reason. In the financial year 2023-2024, families of 204 deceased individuals in Deumai received a total of Rs 10,20,000 for cremation expenses.
Finance Officer Gajendra Ekten stated that cremation expenses are provided after submitting the death certificate to the municipality within 35 days of the incident. In the previous financial year 2022-2023, Deumai Municipality provided Rs 9,50,000 for cremation expenses to the families of 190 deceased individuals in the city.