A new service in the basket, Umri Panchyat, Madhya Pradesh
Lalaram is a resident of Ramdevpura village, Kalyanpur block of Badmer district. The region is absolutely parched and locals live in far-off areas in small settlements. Farming and husbandry forms a common occupation in the residents of the area. Some even travel to Jodhpur stone mines to find employment opportunities as labors. This is a story of Lalaram who belongs to a lower-caste (Meghwal). Lalaram is 52 years old and has spent his last 30 years of life working as a mine worker. Lalaram is suffering from Silicosis disease-being weak and helpless- and is forced to stay back at home. His misfortunes don’t stop at this as his son, Dhalaram, 17 years old, is also mentally retarded. Left with no options, Lalaram’s wife Agro Devi, 50 years old, now works as a labour to run the household. In face of such life trials, the only source of light for the Agro was Sapna, her daughter, 15 years old who helped her mother in the household work.
Recently, Lalaram’s health deteriorated and he was admitted to the TB hospital. The burden of medical expenses was too huge for Agro and running home seemed to be an impossible task. Delay in daughter’s marriage and medical treatment expenses of Dalaram was adding up to her misery. Some relief to family came when friends in neighborhood provided them with some food supply. As luck would have it, Gordhan Ram, lalaram’s younger brother, accompanied Lalaram to kalyanpur hospital for his routine check-up and to get photocopies of his treatment documents, came to Soochna Seva Kendra. There he met Shankar Lal, a Soochna Seva worker. In a casual chat, Shankar lal was briefed about the Lala ram family situation and he suggested some welfare schemes run by government suitable for his condition.
On the second day, Gordha Ram brought Lalaram’s silicosis related papers in SSK office.
The documents were verified by the SSK team and after filling out relevant scheme forms; both were dispatched to concerned department. Two months later, Lalaram received Rs 1 lakh financial benefit in his bank account. As soon as the benefits were received, his brother Gordha Ram called SSK authorities to confirm that his brother has received the scheme benefits.
Lalaram found this support when he needed it most. Now Lalaram’s family is feeling a bit relaxed and have thanked SSK workers for it.
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