Life Stories

FARE PRICE, QUALITY FOOD AND CORRECT MEASUREMENT - OUR RIGHT

'Venkateshwara Camp' is a very poor hamlet in Somalapura Panchayat, Sindhanur taluk, in Raichur district. For the past 15 years ]the people were getting ration only once in three months. Whenever the people questioned the shop keeper, his answer was “do whatever you want, go to anybody, I can do only this much” with this repeated answer the villages were frustrated and fed up.

Mean while the women from ‘Nandadeepa’SHG (formed and trained by BDDS), Bellary used RTI and gathered the information under RTI about the PDS, particularly about this shop. The shop keeper was threatened. Later this shop was inserted into No.92 ‘Boodivala Camp’. The next person who owned the PDS shop too continued to be the same. By then the 4 SHGs facilitated by BDDS used RTI more than 10 to 15 times. As a result the authorities from the District office came for enquiry, got information from the villagers and suspended the shop owner.

Now the PDS is handed over to Mr. Sharanappa from Sindhanoor Taluk. As a result the people of Venkateshwara Camp and Boodivala get regular ration for fare price continuously. More than 188 families enjoy the fruit of their struggle. Thanks to BDDS staff for creating awareness and building the capacity of the poor and marginalized. The right holders are able to question the duty bearers. They even collect receipt for the amount spent. This is a great success for the SHG women who took initiative in mobilizing people to claim their due from the Govt.

Thanks to the support of Misereor in empowering these women.