The family house was built under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna last year. (Express photo/Asad Rehman) The family house was built under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna last year. (Express photo/Asad Rehman)

1. Phoola, 70

Used to receive Rs 300 per month under Vridhavastha pension yojana (a scheme for widows sponsored 75% by Centre, 25% by state), “but it stopped six years ago”. “The pradhan has assured me he is trying to get it started,” she says between mouthfuls of brinjal curry and rice, which her daughter-in-law Sushila has prepared.

The family house was built under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna last year — she got Rs 1.2 lakh in three instalments, plus Rs 12,000 for a toilet under Swachh Bharat. However, the family does not use it. “We have to fill water in the tank manually. We just go to the fields,” Phoola says.

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Her husband Shivlal passed away in 2013. Her three daughters are married.

2. Son Bhanu, 45

Back home after finishing work on a basket, Bhanu says he quit MNREGA work “because the money did not come on time.” “I could have waited for the money if there was enough food in the house. But there isn’t. We can’t starve,” he says, having lunch. He sells a basket for Rs 30 to 40.

The father of five also works in a band during the wedding season in Lucknow. He has three sons — 24, 20 and 17 — and two daughters, 19 and 14. Two of the sons work as daily wagers in Lucknow. The elder daughter was married a year ago.

He says he avails of no government schemes now.

3. Daughter-in-law Sushila, 42

She gets 35 kg ration — 20 kg wheat and 15 kg rice — per month from the ration shop at Rs 90. “We need at least 70 kg of ration per month,” she says, adding she buys the rest from the market.

Under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, she received a free LPG cylinder six months ago, but continues to cook on a chulha. “We can’t afford to get the cylinder refilled. It costs around Rs 700 or more,” she says. She has also registered for the PM Awas Yojana. “When I get the money, I will get another two rooms,” she says.

4. Grandson Neer, 19

He got MNREGA work for 30 days, “but the money, work was not regular.” He now helps a mason and earns Rs 130 per day. He has never been to school and used to help his father make baskets earlier. “Padhai kar ke koi fayda hai nahin (There is no point to education),” he says, dismissively.

5. Granddaughter moni, 14

She studied till Class 5 in the village school. “After that we have to enrol in a private school. We couldn’t afford it,” she says. As a government school student, she received Rs 300 annually. “The money wasn’t even enough to buy uniform, but at least I got a chance to learn alphabets,” she says, adding, “Let us hope I get the Anudan.”

Under UP’s Shadi Anudan Scheme, women belonging to families with an annual income of less than Rs 2 lakh are entitled to Rs 35,000 at the time of marriage.

Bhanu says his family got only Rs 10,000 when his elder daughter Roli got married. Adds his wife, “Gareeb aadmi ko pata hee nahin kitna mila hai. Koi sunwaai nahin hai humari (The poor don’t know about how much to get, and no one listens to us).”

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