Women in Kailali district have been deprived of maternity allowance provided by the government for the past few months.

As many as 1,000 women who received delivery service at Seti Zonal Hospital in Dhangadhi have not received the allowance since February.

“My wife gave birth to a baby at the zonal hospital one-and-a-half months ago. But we have yet to receive the maternity allowance,” said Jitu Bahadur Kunwar of Dhangadhi-9.

With an objective to minimise the maternal and infant mortality rate, the government has been providing Rs3,000, Rs2,000 and Rs1,000 to womn of mountain, hill and Tarai regions respectively. Additionally, cash bonus

of Rs800 is to be provided to mothers who complete all four antenatal checkups.

About 20 pregnant women visit Seti Zonal Hospital on a daily basis for safe delivery. The hospital administration said it could not provide the amount as the concerned authority did not issue the budget for allowance. “The hospital does not have budget for maternity allowance. We have kept contact numbers of the new mothers and their guardians. We will call them and give them the amount as soon as the Social Development Ministry of the province allocates the budget,” said Yashoda Dhakal, chief at the maternity unit.

“We have repeatedly urged the ministry to provide the budget. We need around Rs 6 million for now,” said Madan Singh Bohara, the account officer at the hospital.