Keonjhar: Crores of rupees are being spent for the welfare and wellbeing of Juanga tribals in Keonjhar district, but their development has remained confined to pen and paper.
Even though a special body, Juanga Development Agency, has been working for their development, tribals have been suffering for lack of basic facilities, a report said.
Pension and housing schemes are provided to poor and socially disadvantaged sections on a priority basis, but these are still out of reach of scores of tribals in the district.
Though innocent and gullible tribals come to the district administration with their problems, nothing is done for them, it is alleged. Most of the time they have to return frustrated.
Some Juangas from Jantaria in Gonasika panchayat under Bansapal block travelled 30km to the collectorate Saturday with a lot of hope to apprise the Collector of their plight. The tribals spent money on bus fare, but got nothing in return. Most of them are Juanga widows. They are Golap, Chandani, Duti, Jema, Sukumari, Basanti and Bela. Though all of them have lost their husbands in the last three to five years, they have not been provided with widow pension, they lamented.
Being innocent, the widows are easily duped by local touts with the promise of giving them government benefits. “An official of the panchayat took Rs 50 to Rs 100 from us, promising to give pension. But no pension was given to us. We thought grievances would be heard Saturday. So, we travelled all the way paying bus fare to meet the Collector. But none is here to listen to our plight,” the hapless widows said.
Jema Junga narrated the ordeal she has been going through after her husband’s death. “We are poor. My husband died for lack of medical treatment which we could not afford. We are eking out a living from daily labour. Sufficient work is not available. Managing three children is very difficult. Sometimes, we sell firewood and try to manage daily expenses with whatever money we get from the sales. All of us are living in misery,” Jena added.
She also said that if they are provided with pension, their plight will be alleviated a little. They have ration cards, but they don’t have money enough to buy subsidized rice. Sometimes they have to borrow from others.
Despite their poverty, they have not been provided with housing units. Though some people have got money, the total amount has not been given. The houses they were building had been left incomplete. They have to adjust themselves in shanties with leaking roofs.
District social welfare officer Swarnaprabha Mishra said necessary steps would be taken to ensure pension to the Juanga women.
PNN