Tribal family in Mayurbhanj struggles to survive with five differently-abled children, lives on one meal a day

Mayurbhanj (Odisha) [India], November 29 (ANI): A heartbreaking story has emerged from Mayurbhanj district, revealing the severe hardships faced by a tribal family living in Bipracharanpur village under Dengam panchayat of Khunta block. Despite having five differently-abled children and battling extreme poverty, the family has never begged for help, surviving purely on the hard labour of the parents, who often eat only once every two days.
Lita Murmu and his wife, Karami Murmu, live with their seven-member family in a dilapidated one-room hut that offers little protection. All five of their children - two daughters and three sons- were born with disabilities and are unable to work. The parents toil in nearby villages, returning with whatever grains they can earn for the day.
A villager, Jitendra Hembram, describing the family's dire condition, told ANI, "Lita Murmu's five children are all handicapped. They are living in great difficulty. The parents go out and work and bring back whatever they can. They give it to the children, and some days, the parents themselves have to go hungry. They leave a pot of rice for the children, and the children crawl to eat. If they spill it, they remain hungry. They are struggling every day to keep the children alive."
He added that the family's only regular support is the rice received through their ration card. "If the government provides some assistance, or a pension for each of the handicapped children, it would be a huge relief for Lita," Hembram said.
Despite several state welfare schemes meant for persons with disabilities, the family claims that they have not received any meaningful assistance. Their situation worsened after they migrated from the Khunta block to the Patshanpur GP in the Udala block due to river erosion, disrupting their access to earlier support mechanisms.
Responding to the situation, Sub-Collector of Udala, Sushant Barik, said authorities have taken note of the family's plight.
"I have inquired about them. They used to live in the Khunta block but migrated due to river erosion. The concerned BDO and our Sub-Divisional Level TSSO have been instructed. A BBSK camp is being organised in Khunta block, and they will be taken there and enrolled. Their disability percentage will be verified. After that, we have a duty to provide them with all government benefits available," Barik told ANI.
As officials prepare to assess the family for disability pensions and other schemes, villagers hope that timely intervention will finally bring some relief to Lita Murmu and his children. (ANI)