Nepal, April 25 -- It's been over three weeks since the Province 2 government announced a relief programme for the families affected by the coronavirus lockdown, and all Kano Devi has received so far from her local government is two bars of soap.

"We are poor. We have nothing, not even a farming land. All I have is this house, but we have received nothing substantial from the government so far," said Kano Devi, a resident of Ratbara in Mahottari Rural Municipality Ward 4, Mahottari.

Bikram Mandal, another resident from the same ward, is also struggling to put food on the table since the lockdown was enforced on March 24.

He has already visited the ward office twice to inquire about the relief materials. On both occasions, he was turned...