Nurpur: NGO raises funds to build room for destitute widow

Rajiv Mahajan

Nurpur, February 21

Maya Devi (72), a destitute woman living at Naga Da Pail (Khajjian) village in Khel gram panchayat, has been spending sleepless nights in a tent for the past several years. The authorities concerned have not bothered to help her avail of the benefits of Central or state-sponsored welfare schemes. Maya Devi’s husband died many years ago and the biological parents of her adopted son had taken him back.

Her name to be included in BPL list

A survey will be conducted in April to identify BPL families in Khel panchayat and her name will be included in the list. All efforts are being made to get her a ration card. Recently, her Aadhaar card was made. — Jagdev Singh, Pradhan of Khel gram panchayat

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Veena Thakur, a member of the Block Development Committee (BDC), had approached the RB Jankalyan Foundation, an NGO run by the family of former MLA Ranjit Bakshi, a month back. Director of the foundation Akil Bakshi told The Tribune that he met Maya Devi and decided to construct a room and they had raised funds for the purpose.

The villagers living near her tent are providing her with food and shelter during inclement weather conditions. She has no source of livelihood and survives on a monthly widow pension of Rs 1,500. She has not been included in the Below Poverty Line (BPL) category, which is mandatory to get benefits of other welfare schemes meant for destitute people.

A visit to Maya Devi’s tent reveals that she is living in inhuman conditions. Her kutcha house collapsed in 2006 and since then she has been living in the tent.

Pradhan of Khel gram panchayat Jagdev Singh said that he had raised the issue with the Nurpur SDM, who asked him to include her name in the panchayat’s BPL list so that she could get the benefits of all welfare schemes.