A farmer’s family in Osian town of Rajasthan’s Jodhpur district is spending its entire life savings worth ₹50 lakh to distribute ration kits among the poor, destitute and daily wage earners deprived of their livelihood during the ongoing lockdown. Several youths in the region have joined the initiative as volunteers to make sure that no one goes hungry.
Paburam Manda, 67, and his two sons have provided food kits to 6,500 families in 83 villages of the region with the help of a large team of volunteers.
The farmer family, which grows crops like cumin, garlic, onions and bajra, decided to extend help to the needy despite uncertainties about the its own agricultural yield after the recent unseasonal rains and hailstorms.
The doorstep delivery of food has especially helped the migrant labourers from other States stranded in the villages of Osian, Tinwari and Baori blocks of Jodhpur district since the lockdown was enforced. The volunteers undertook a survey of the needy families in the first round of work to ensure that no was left out.
Shortlisting the needy
Mr. Manda, his wife Munny Devi and their sons — Ram Niwas, who runs an educational institution in Osian, and Bhagirath Manda, an Indian Revenue Service officer in New Delhi — took the help of village panchayat staff to shortlist the distressed people and started the delivery of kits from April 2. Those who offered to contribute were politely asked to come later if the family’s entire funds were used up.
Each ration kit comprises 10 kg of wheat flour, 1 kg pulses and 1 kg oil, along with biscuits, soap and spices. Priced at ₹800, one kit has sufficient food for five members of a family and can last for 10 days.
‘A small contribution’
While Mr. Manda affirmed that he, as a farmer who had dealt with adversities, had decided to stand up for the nation during the present crisis, Dr. Bhagirath Manda told The Hindu on Sunday that the initiative was his family’s small contribution to support the underprivileged rural families which were on the brink of starvation.
‘Huge response’
“The response we have received is overwhelming and our initiative has inspired others as well,” Dr. Manda said. He said the 400 volunteers engaged in the supply of kits were adhering to all precautionary measures and informing the recipients of the safeguards to protect themselves against the virus infection.
The farmer's family has received the calls for help from more villages after the extension of lockdown till May 3. Dr. Manda — the physician-turned-civil servant — said the family would make arrangements for supply of 2,000 ration kits in the second round of its philanthropic work, beginning next week.
