Joda/Baripada: Crores of rupees are being spent to provide housing for poor people, but many of them who are eligible to get such facilities have been leading miserable lives in various parts of mineral-rich Joda in Keonjhar district and Baripada in Mayurbhanj district.
The ineffective implementation of welfare schemes like Indira Awas Yojana (IAY), Biju Pucca Ghar Yojana (BPGY) and administrative negligence have been blamed for the plight of poor people.
According to a report from Joda, a tribal couple and two kids have been leading a miserable life in their dilapidated shanty at Jurudi area under Joda block. The poor family, which struggles to arrange a square meal a day, has been deprived of housing, ration cards under National Food Security Act (NFSA) and job cards under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Gurantee Act (MGNREGS).
The couple, Mansingh Tamudia and wife Sukurmuni Tamudia, finds it too difficult to make both ends meet with their meagre earnings from sales of toothbrush sticks.
Mansigh said: “Though I have been living in the place for more than 60 years, no house under IAY or BPGY has been made available to me so far. I had built this tiled shanty with my own effort years ago, but it has fallen apart due to lack of maintenance.”
However, the couple led a better life a few years ago when labour opportunities were available in the mining sector. Then Mansingh used to earn enough to feed his entire family. Later his health also deteriorated, curbing his chances to do hard work. “Since then I have not been able to properly feed my family. Even I have no money to treat my disease,” he lamented.
With mines in the area being closed and no work available, Sukurmuni has now been worried about managing her family. She is making a living now by going out to the forest every day and collecting sticks for toothbrush.
If they had job cards, they could have availed work under MGNREGS, the couple said. Mansigh alleged that many rich people in the region have ration cards, while his family has not been enlisted so far. There are a host of programmes and schemes aimed at boosting the socio-economic development of tribals. However, such schemes are of no use for poor tribals like Mansingh.
Another report from Baripada portrayed the plight of Rabindra Moharana, a resident of Bhanjakia panchayat under Raruan block. Mayurbhanj district has received award from the state government for its achievement in the housing sector for 2016-17, but many poor and landless people in rural areas are yet to receive housing benefits.
Rabindra is among one of them who has been desperately looking for help from the authorities.
Rabindra, a daily wager, has to look after his 20-year-old daughter Meena and 26-year-old son Akaya. The siblings too do odd jobs to support their family. Their house has completely been broken due to lack of proper maintenance and care and they have hung polythene sheets over their broken house.
PEO of Bhanjikia panchayat Srip Singh said that Rabindra’s name has been recommended for the housing beneficiary list. PNN
