DADELDHURA, July 15

District Agriculture Development Office, Dadeldhura, initiated farmers’ identity card distribution by handing the card to the family of revolutionary peasant leader martyr Bhimdutta Pant in Dadeldhura.

At a programme organised on the premises of DADO today, regional administrator Sharad Raj Bista handed down the farmer’s ID card to Bhimdutta Pant’s daughter-in-law Devaki Pant as the first female farmer in the far-west.

Bhimdutta had spearheaded an armed struggle against the then state for the rights of farmers in the district.

UCPN-Maoist leader Bikash Bhatta said that starting the ID card distribution with Pant’s family had sent out a positive message to farmers in the far-west.

More than 5,000 farmers in the far-west had filled out forms for ID cards after the government selected Dadeldhura as a model district from the region to provide it with facilities.

The agro office said that it would provide 1,600 cards to farmers in the first phase. Devaki Pant, engaged in agriculture for more than two decades, is now a reputed farmer.

Pant said that government recognition would help many people to recognise her as a farmer.

“My ancestor had fought for the rights of farmers. Although belated, the government has accorded respect to my family by distributing ID card to them,” Devaki added.

Regional administrator Sharad Raj Bista distributed farmers’ ID cards to Tirtha Bahadur Saud and Dan Bahadur Air too. Bista said that though belated, the card distribution would bestow respect to farmers.

Senior agriculture development officer Dinesh Sapkota said that Dadeldhura was selected as a model district from the far-west.

Senior farmer Khadak Saud said that intricate procedure had deterred farmers from seeking ID cards.