Champua: The poor and disadvantaged people are supposed to avail rice and other food grains at subsidised rate under the National Food Security Act (NFSA), but two differently-abled persons belonging to Scheduled Tribe communities at Maheswarpur under Champua block in Keonjhar district are deprived of this.
Sukun Munda, daughter of Kande Munda, became disabled when she was five. Her left leg got paralysed, forcing her to drop her studies from Class-III. She has been solely dependent on the meagre earnings of her father and brother. After many efforts, she managed to get a disability certificate.
Likewise, Suklal Munda, son of Sukura Munda, has lost his left hand. He had applied for ration card under NFSA several times in the past, but to no avail. His family has been deprived of housing and free electricity too.
Life under polythene sheets
Papadahandi (Nabrangpur): Poverty has forced them to visit the door of the local administration for a house under government welfare schemes, however yet to get a shelter.
Adu Jani of Rajamatu village under Tumbarla gram panchayat in Papadahandi block of Nabarangpur district and his seven-member family lives in a hut, roofed over a polythene sheet, but the polythene sheet fails to protect them from cold and sun as the sheet is also partly damaged. The problem becomes double during rainy season as the walls of the hut made up off gunny bags fail to protect the eight heads inside the house since last two years.
Jani’s son Pitabash works at out of the state and earn for his family. However his little earning doesn’t meet all the needs of the family. No member of the family poses a ration card, neither Jani gets old age pension. This apart, the children of the family cannot go to school, thanks to their poverty.
On the other hand, the villagers have demanded a house for the family.
PNN