People's Democracy

CPI(M) Intervention Helps Widows In Mana Camp

Dharmaraj Mahapatra

THE helpless widows residing at permanent liability (PL) home of Mana camp received a beneficiary payment of Rs 4 lakh from the union home ministry after the intervention of the CPI(M) in parliament. The inmates are residing from several years at PL homes of Mana camp and are basically migrants from Bangladesh. These widows are deprived of Indian citizenship and are therefore not entitled to BPL cards and other social beneficiary projects run by the government.

Under the leadership of Brinda Karat, CPI(M) Polit Bureau member and MP, a delegation comprising Dharmaraj Mahapatra, Chhattisgarh CPI(M) state secretariat member, Biswas, Phoolmala Mandal and Sukumar Bachhar met union home minister Shivraj Patil and urged him to take steps to improve the condition of the lives of the widows. Brinda Karat said that only Rs 100 is being given as monthly help and out of this Rs 27.50 is being deducted as subsidy for providing 15 kg of rice and 2 litres of kerosene oil and the remaining Rs 72.50 is given for purchasing pulses, vegetables and other necessary items. Earlier, they were provided with two sets of clothes. Later Rs 300 was given instead of giving clothes but now even this has stopped. There is no medical facility. These women have to live in verandahs during rainy season due to poor building condition. The CPI(M) leader demanded the home minister to include other necessary items, medicines etc., and increase the beneficiary amount and release it before Durga Puja festival.

The government immediately ordered the release of Rs 2000 each to the women of PL Home. The amount was distributed to 200 old women in a meeting held by CPI(M). The women felt very happy and received the money. The Director of Rehabilitation was present in the meeting. The gathering was addressed by Dharmaraj Mahapatra, SFI leader Rajesh Awasthi, Rajesh Parate from Janwadi Noujawan Sabha and Nimai Gayan, CPl (M) unit secretary of Mana Camp.