Raisuan: An elderly woman and her mentally challenged son have been leading a miserable life for quite some time in their dilapidated shanty at Mukuna in Bauripada panchayat under Keonjhar block.
While scores of ineligible people in the area have been provided with various facilities under the housing and social security schemes, the mother-son duo – Sukuri Dehury and Dinabandhu Dehury – has been deprived of their entitlements so far.
A lot of poor and landless people have been allotted housing units under the Indira Awas Yojana, Mo Kudia Yojana, Biju Pucca Ghar Yojana, but many eligible people like Sukuri has been denied such facilities.
Sukuri’s husband died a year ago, leaving her alone to support her mentally ill son. Except for the dilapidated house, they have nothing to lead a decent life.
Even at the age of 70 Sukuri does odd jobs and supports her son with whatever she receives as wage. Nowadays, she hardly goes out of her home for jobs. “The only support we get is 10kg subsidised rice per month and Rs300 as monthly pension. The house has been damaged and we have to stay inside the precarious shanty,” lamented Sukuri.
She is more worried about the plight of her mentally challenged son. Social activist Parsuram Sethi said the poor widow and her son are living in miserable conditions.
Another social activist Krupa Dehury said that many rich people received IAY and Mo Kudia houses, but eligible people like Sukri haven’t received anything. The locals demanded a house and rehabilitation for the duo. PNN
