“He ruined his life by drinking, I tried to stop him but he didn’t listen,” says Foto Devi of her late husband. Like many other widows of Abholi village, VV-PACS Community Correspondent Anjana Yadav reveals the benefits of widow-pension scheme remain inaccessible to Foto Devi.
CALL FOR ACTION: You can help us in our effort to get these women their due pension by calling the Block Development Officer of Abholi village at +91-9450186420.
Under the National Social Assistance Scheme enacted by the government of India in 1995, a pension of 300 INR is granted to the widows living below the poverty line. However, red-tapism and bureaucratic machinery don’t let the government’s promises materialise. This report by VV-PACS CC Anjana Yadav highlights the problems with NSAS in Uttar Pradesh, the most populous state in the country.
About the VV-Bloomberg Project: This video is a part of a special collaboration between Video Volunteers, a leading community media organization & Bloomberg, which is the premier source for global business and financial information. During this special mentoring project, five Bloomberg reporters became coaches to twelve of VV's IndiaUnheard Community Correspondents to help them produce videos on a variety of social issues. This is a one of its kind project where Bloomberg coaches, who have several years of experience working in mainstream media will share their expertise with trained grassroots journalists currently working to highlight the stories of their media dark villages. Each side will get refreshing new perspectives making for stronger journalism.
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