Kranti was born in a small village in Dumka district of Jharkhand. She was married while she was still in 10th standard. She adores her Adivasi culture except a few strokes of patriarchy that taint picture, now and then. ‘The whole point of a community is that everybody should be together, they should help each other. People will work collectively;…

Kranti Murmu

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'I was returning from work and on the way, I fell off the train.'

According to the Rajya Samajik Pension Scheme, any individual who is severely disabled - 40% or above - and living below the poverty line, is provided assistance by the government in the form of monthly pension.

Madan Mahto is a 32-year-old male living in Lengratand hamlet of Kalajharia village, in Karmatanr block of Jamtara district in the state of Jharkhand. He has 5 members in his family. His livelihood was dependent on daily wage labour. But 6 months ago, he fell off the train and lost his leg.

- How do you sustain yourselves?
- It's difficult. Little do we earn from the work we get. There no earning person in the family anymore.
- And what about medicines?
- I got no money for medicines. Have put in whatever I could from my home.
- You get all the pension?
- Nope. I get nothing. How do I run a home like this? One has to take care of these things. Because of the medicines' cost, we can't eat a full meal.
- Have you applied for pension?
- I have given but I am uncertain if it'll ever happen. All of my house is falling apart. This door, that roof - how am I supposed to manage all this? I was the only earning member of this family. And I have to take care of my child's education too.

His wife, Suvanta Devi works around the neighbourhood to sustain the family with whatever she can scrap.

I appeal to all the viewers to please call the Chief Secretary of Jamtara district on +91-8292545997 and pressurise him to get Madan his pension as soon as possible.

I am Kranti Murmu from Jamtara district of Jharkhand, reporting for IndiaUnheard

*This video was made by a Video Volunteers Community Correspondent Kranti Murmu. Community Correspondents come from marginalised communities in India and produce videos on unreported stories. These stories are ’news by those who live it.’ they give the hyperlocal context to global human rights and development challenges. See more such videos at www.videovolunteers.org. Take action for a more just global media by sharing their videos and joining in their call for change.