Dawasangmu Sherpa of Lelep Ghunsa, ward 6 of Phaktanglung Rural Municipality in Taplejung, received her social security allowance of Rs24,000 on Tuesday. She had not collected the monthly Rs4,000 allowance for the past six months.

To reach Dawasangmu, who lives at 3,100 metres above sea level in Ghunsa, local representatives spent two days travelling from Tapethok and Lelep. Earlier, ward chair Pembatansi Sherpa had delivered the allowances up to March/April.

District Police Chief Bedraj Gautam, who recently trekked to Kanchenjunga’s Pangpema Basecamp, also witnessed the distribution.

Dawasangmu’s family has two members eligible for social security allowances. She receives the senior citizen allowance, and her daughter receives the disability allowance. Similarly, 96-year-old Sumjok Sherpa of ward 7 received Rs49,000 in senior citizen allowance for one year, including bank interest.

The municipality centre at Tapethok is a three-day walk, and the ward office at Olangchung Gola is one day’s walk from Yangma, a settlement of 11 households.

Municipal representatives are especially mindful to distribute allowances before festivals such as Dashain and Tihar, as delays can cause hardship for senior citizens. Residents often use the allowances for medicines and festival expenses.

For remote settlements like Ghunsa, Phale, Gyabla, Yangma, Olangchung Gola, and Tokpegola, the process is more challenging. While others receive payments quarterly, residents in these areas may wait six months to a year. Local beneficiaries have to wait for representatives to visit, but they are grateful for the service.

Ward chair Sherpa explained two methods for distributing allowances. All beneficiaries have bank accounts. Those who can reach the bank withdraw their money directly. Those unable to go, authorise the ward chair to withdraw on their behalf using signed cheques or thumb impressions. The ward sends a request letter to the bank, and representatives then distribute payments at home every six months.

“We had made this commitment during the elections,” Sherpa said. “Many residents in Ghunsa and Phale have disabilities or cannot walk. Carrying them to the bank would be difficult, and the allowance alone would not cover travel. That’s why we agreed to deliver it every six months.”

Sherpa said he withdraws the money from the bank only after his visit schedule is set.

Municipality chair Rajan Limbu said that some settlements are so remote that a representative cannot reach another village in a single day.

“Elderly residents often live alone and cannot go to the bank. We coordinate with the bank to deliver allowances at home to make it easier for them,” said Limbu.

Besides high-altitude settlements, most beneficiaries receive allowances quarterly or within five months at the latest. Ward officials said ward 6, Lelep, has around 200 social security beneficiaries, with half able to access banks independently, while the rest rely on ward coordination. Ward 7, Olangchung Gola, has about 50 beneficiaries.