Birendranagar, June 21

Karnali provincial government is preparing an integrated policy to protect the nomadic Raute community.

The integrated policy is being prepared in a bid to conserve the community's culture and tradition, and their socialisation, said Minister of Social Development Yagya Bahadur Budha. The move was taken in the wake of interference and attack on the culture and tradition of the community lately.

There is need to bring a separate policy to converse the community, he said.

The policy for the community includes prohibiting outsiders from entering Raute settlements, a one-door policy for relief distribution, their security and management of their accommodation, food and clothing.

The ministry will work to socialise them while protecting their norms and values and culture.

"It feels that they need security and people from outside the community should be barred from entering their villages in the wake of an incident wherein two Raute girls were reportedly molested by people from outside the community," he said.

A version of this article appears in the print on June 22, 2021, of The Himalayan Times.