Nepal, Aug. 23 -- It took 82-year-old Dhansara Budha of Kharpunath Rural Municipality-3, Raya Village, Humla, nine days to obtain a national identity card. Her son and fellow villagers carried her on a stretcher from her home to Bokchyagauda. After carrying her for two hours, they had to hire a vehicle for Rs 8,000 to reach Simkot. Geographically, Kharpunath is connected to the district headquarters, Simkot.

"We carried my mother on a stretcher with the help of neighbors for two hours to Bokchyagauda. From there, we reserved a vehicle for Rs 8,000 and took her to the District Administration Office (DAO) in the headquarters," said her son, Satya Budha. "We spent over Rs 40,000 to get the national identity card."

Dhansara is blind and in ...