Nepal’s Kaligandaki Municipality Offers Monthly Stipend to Families with Three Children

In an effort to address the declining population growth rate, Kaligandaki Municipality in Syangja has launched a program to provide financial assistance to families with three children.

Under the ‘Financial Assistance to Families with Three Children’ program, 17 families have received a monthly stipend of NPR 4,000 in the current fiscal year. The program aims to promote a positive attitude towards having children, balance the declining birth rate, and make local governance more effective.

According to Tikakumari Kshetri, information officer and administrative officer of the municipality, the program is being implemented as per the ‘Procedure for Providing Financial Assistance to Families with Three Children-2082’. Families who meet the required criteria will receive a monthly stipend of NPR 4,000 for two years.

‘The objective of the program is not only to provide financial assistance but also to draw the community’s attention to the declining birth rate and provide some relief to families,’ said Kshetri. ‘The grant has been distributed transparently to families who meet all the criteria set out in the procedure.’

Addressing the Declining Birth Rate

Acting Chairperson Savitri Koirla said the policy was introduced after analyzing the declining birth rate in the municipality. ‘Earlier, we promoted the idea of having two children as an ideal family size, but now we face the challenge of a rapidly declining birth rate in many areas. Therefore, we have introduced this program to encourage families, considering the local needs and future demographic situation.’

‘We believe that this program will not only provide financial assistance but also give families the feeling that the local government is supporting them in raising their children,’ Koirla added.

The municipality had called on permanent residents who had their third child after Ashar 2082 to submit an application along with the required documents. Out of the families who applied, 17 were found eligible for the grant, according to Ek Bahadur Thapa, head of the municipality’s health branch.

The program also requires that the third child must be born in a health institution recognized by the Government of Nepal. The local government’s initiative to promote population balance, maternal and child health, and encourage families has been seen as a unique practice in the district.