Residents of remote parts of Kalikot have begun receiving citizenship and other administrative services closer to home following the establishment of an Area Administration Office in Raskot.

Sixteen-year-old Salina Sejuwal from Ramnakot in Pachaljharana-4 received her citizenship certificate on Monday from the newly opened office in Raskot-5.

“I would have had to spend at least Rs 5,000 to travel to Manma for my citizenship,” said Sejuwal, who is awaiting her Secondary Education Examination (SEE) results. “It has become much easier to access the service near home.”

Previously, residents of Pachaljharana had to travel via Raskot, Sanni Triveni and Narharinath to reach the district headquarters in Manma.

Her father, Khadgaraj Sejuwal, said that although Raskot is closer than Manma, the lack of direct transport still makes access difficult for residents of Palata and Pachaljharana rural municipalities. He urged local authorities to arrange transport services to ease access.

Similarly, 78-year-old Sarjan Rokaya of Syuna in Raskot-5 said he was relieved to receive a copy of his citizenship certificate in his village. Rokaya, who lost his original document a year ago, had been unable to renew his elderly allowance due to his physical disability and inability to travel to Manma.

“My wish to receive citizenship in my own village has finally been fulfilled,” he said. Rokaya had originally obtained his citizenship from Manma on February 18, 1992.

The office, which began operations on Monday, is expected to benefit around 50,000 residents of Palata, Pachaljharana, Sanni Triveni and Raskot, who have long faced difficulties accessing services due to the district’s difficult geography.

Kalikot, divided by the Tila and Karnali rivers, has nine local units. The District Administration Office in Manma will now primarily serve residents of Khandachakra and Tilagufa municipalities, and Shubha Kalika, Mahawai and Narharinath rural municipalities.

Assistant Chief District Officer Janak Sharma said the new office would help reduce the service burden at the district headquarters. The Manma office issues 50 to 60 citizenship certificates daily, with numbers rising to around 200 after SEE results and during the Dashain festival.

The Raskot office will provide services including new and duplicate citizenship certificates, national identity cards, and recommendations for backward regions and Khas Arya groups.

Civil society leader Tikaraj Upadhyay said residents could save around Rs 3,000 in transport costs and Rs 2,000 in other expenses by accessing services locally. “Both money and time have been saved,” he said.

According to Acting Branch Officer Nawaraj Bam, the office issued four new citizenship certificates, six duplicates, 12 national identity cards, and one minor identity card on its first day.

Chief District Officer Gokarna Raj Suyal said the office is currently operating from a rented house belonging to Raskot-5 ward chair Man Tiruwa. A permanent building is expected to be completed by July, and six staff positions have been approved for the office.