Middle men dominate the pro-poor schemes

The poor (read underprivileged) of the Kiratpur block are living in very difficult situations. They are not able to avail the full benefits of government schemes and have to pay middlemen to avail old age pension. Their lives have become extremely difficult due to floods and the absence of roads. They are not getting the benefits of the health system also.

After a stay of three days amongst the people of the kiratpur block the members of the international NGO PRAXIS spoke to journalists on their return to Darbhanga on Sunday. Gathered in Dr.Ganpati Mishra’s Hasanchowk located clinic, PRAXIS’s Roma Dey said that the team consisting of six members visited Kubol village of the block from 20th to 23rd june. She said that to reach Kubol they had to travel by boat for 18 kms from Bheja and then walk for three kms. The team got divided into three and stayed with the families of Mahavir Sada, Mohd.Taslimuddin and Rambinod Mukhiya to understand the situation. People are able to avail the benefits under the NREGA only partly. People are getting only 25 rupees for each day’s work and bullock carts are being used to carry earth and sand. Instead of the poor it’s the middlemen and contractors who are reaping the benefits. Anindo Banerjee of the organization said that people do not even have the complete knowledge of the government schemes. The maternal mortality rate of the village is too high and the services of the Anganwadi Kendra are not reaching to the people. Children are given birth at homes even today. The people are not getting the benefits of the health centre either. Jai Verma of the organization said that out of the first installment of 25 thousand rupees under the Indira Awaas Yojana, people are able to avail only 15 thousand as the rest is pocketed by middlemen. Kalazar has engulfed the village. Two children of Phulchand Sada and Mahavir Sada’s grandson are suffering from the disease. The condition of mushars is pitiable. The village has around 150 musahar households. Many of them have received bhudan receipts promising land yet none have ownership over any land. Every family has five to six children and people are returning from outside as means of livelihood are getting scarce. PRAXIS’s team consisting of Delhi based Raffaella Catani, Aligarh university’s Mohd.Ali, Patna’s Anindo Banerjee, Roma Dey, Jai Verma and RAnjit Jha were helped by MGVP’s Narayan Choudhari.

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