Shaheen Alam, Baneshwar Oraon and Munna Ekka live miles apart but share the same hardships in life – all of them are orally and hearing impaired and their requests to public servants for a shelter and livelihood tend to fall on deaf ears.
The villagers arrived at Janta Darbar on Wednesday to present their pleas before Rural Development Minister Neelkanth Singh Munda and Youth Affairs Minister Amar Kumar Bauri as they attended to complaints at the weekly public court.
“I am tired of running from one office to another of elected representatives and Block officials with my application for enrolling in the Below Poverty list. I receive no government aid except a sum of Rs 600 as annual disability pension. My financial condition is dire as finding a job is difficult due to my disability. My dilapidated house is filled with water during rainfall. I am willing to earn my living if I get a house under Indira Awaas Yojana,” stated Shaheen, from Nagri Block of State capital, in his application to the ministers.
Baneshwar, a widower and father of three from Kuru in lohardaga, had similar pleas for the ministers. “I earn my daily bread as a labourer and have to face difficulties with even that due as I am orally and hearing impaired. It is hard to raise kids in my rundown house and erratic income. Kindly grant me Rs 25,000 for repairing my home and some livelihood opportunities,” his application stated.
“My letters requesting help are neglected; I feel like a neglected part of this society. People cannot understand what I have to say and I get no jobs for this reason even as I am willing to work. A livelihood opportunity and some help for a house under Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana will help me to sustain my family,” Munna from Doranda locality of Ranchi stated in his letter.
In response to their requests, the ministers assured them of every possible aid on part of State Government. Bauri assured the three plaintiffs that they will be helped according to the relevant regulations and their percentage of disability.
The ministers listened to 115 grievances during the Janta Darbar this week. The public court has become an effective forum for the public to convey their problems to the government and we are trying to ensure that more people are benefitted from this, stated Munda.
Government is sincere about solving the grievances registered through Janta Darbar; orders are issued to concerned officials to ensure swift resolution of the problems, Bauri said.
In the Janta Darbar, Mustafa Ansari from Angara came with requests of police protection so that he may register his statement in court against extremists. “Back in 2011, PlFI extremists had demanded Rs 10 lakhs from me but I filed a case against them. Around 10 members of the outfit were arrested, following which I am being forced to hold my tongue against the arrested extremists in this case,” Ansari said.