Malkangiri,: It has been five years since her husband’s death, yet she has not received any government assistance. Due to the lack of an Aadhaar card, an elderly woman has been deprived of government help. She struggles every day just to survive. Despite her old age, she does not beg from others and has no proper shelter. She collects firewood and other forest products from the jungle and sells them in the market to make a living.
She is Phulmati Ghor (aged 80) from Bhimarangini village under Sindhimala Panchayat in Malkangiri district. She has appealed to the administration to provide her with government support. Phulmati said her life revolved around her husband. She has no children. Five years ago, her husband suddenly passed away due to illness, and since then, she has been struggling alone.
Deprived of any government assistance, she spends her days battling hunger. In her old age, she is unable to do hard labor. In this situation, she collects firewood, Mahua flowers, tendu leaves, and other forest products to sell in the market, struggling hard to survive.
Although there are many government schemes for the elderly, Phulmati remains excluded. While others in her village receive government benefits, she has been left out. Whenever a government official visits the village, Phulmati approaches them to narrate her plight. They advise her to first get an Aadhaar card and then leave. Despite multiple trips to the city to get her Aadhaar card, due to various reasons, it has still not been made, leaving her disheartened.
The villagers have requested the district administration to take immediate steps to ensure that she receives the necessary government support. Even after her husband’s death, she has not received a widow pension or the ₹20,000 financial assistance. Without an Aadhaar card, she is deprived of PDS (Public Distribution System) rations and pension benefits.
The house she once received under the “Mo Kudia” scheme years ago is now in a dilapidated condition. She has not been included under any housing scheme till date. As a result, she lives a miserable life, exposed to extreme heat, rain, and cold without proper shelter.