Soro (Balasore): Durga Singh, a woman councillor of Soro Notified Area Council (NAC) in Odisha’s Balasore district, is an exception these days as politicians are now generally believed to be corrupt and selfish. A representative of Ward No. 7 in Soro NAC, Durga and her minor daughters live on alms collected from neighbours and spend their nights on the verandah of other people.
Living in acute penury, Durga does not have a home, nor does she own any land. She is also bereft of all welfare schemes launched by the Central as well as the state governments.
Durga Singh won the municipal elections in March 2022 by 133 votes. But the irony is that despite being a people’s representative, she has been surviving by begging. During the day, she goes out with her three-year-old daughter and four-month-old son to beg for alms in the neighbourhood and spends her nights holding her two children on the neighbour’s verandah.
However, Durga does not have any complaints against anyone.
Interacting with the media, she said, “I have been residing in Parmela slum for some time. Though I am illiterate and poor, I do not wish to complain against anyone. Instead, I would request the government to provide me with a pucca house.”
Talking about her family, she said, “My husband is a drunkard and does not give a single paisa to manage the household expenses.”
She goes on to add, “I have two small children who are dependent on me. I have been begging for alms and I manage to get two to three kg of rice or up to a maximum of Rs 50 in a day for survival.”
While the locals have always supported Durga’s cause and even raised her plight with the administration, she pleads, “I badly need a house; please help me.”
