HT impact: Gurugram widow with 18 children gets pension, ration supply

Five teams of district officials visited the woman’s residence on Thursday, and signed her up for monthly pension scheme and ration supply after HT reported she had not received any assistance.

Taking cognizance of the plight of 55-year-old Bissar, whose problems were highlighted in Hindustan Times on Thursday, the deputy commissioner of Mewat visited Akera village in Mewat and granted her a monthly widow pension of Rs1,800 and supplies on ration starting Thursday.

Bissar married Mohammad Ishak in 1976 when she was just 13 years old. Over the next four decades, Bissar would become pregnant 23 times. Five babies didn’t survive.(Parveen Kumar/ Hindustan Times)

“Her biometrics were taken and the name of the children were added to the list. She was not entitled to get old age pension as she is 55-years-old so, we have started her widow pension and have also given her the details of schemes,” Ashok Kumar Sharma, the deputy commissioner, said.

HT had on Thursday carried a report on the single, unemployed mother of 18 in Mewat, who was had been seeking help from the administration, but had not received any assistance. She has five daughters and 13 sons. Her 30-year-old daughter is the oldest of the lot and the youngest is a sixyear-old girl. None of her 12 children, who are adults, is employed.

Officials said that a 20-year-old daughter, who is differently abled, will also be eligible for a Rs1,800 grant. “There is a state disability pension scheme, under which people of Haryana domicile with a minimum 60% disability and are 18 years of age or above, are given pension as per the eligibility criteria. They are paid Rs1,800 a month. I have directed the medical board to conduct a test on Friday and if she falls under that category, she will get the benefits,” Sharma said.

Five teams of district officials were formed on Thursday morning, under the additional deputy commissioner (ADC), to visit the village.

Sharma said the family does not fall in Below Poverty Line (BPL) category as she owns a house and land in the village. However, we have got her medical card made so that she will get all the medical benefits free of cost and the children dependent on her can also avail of the facility, he added.

Bissar said she was happy to get help but was initially scared when seven cars arrived at her house and around 25 people, along with gunmen, came to visit her.

“My children ran, thinking that the people have come to arrest us, as we were complaining against the district officials for not providing us help. I initially refused to reveal my identity but they said they have seen my picture in the newspaper so, I confessed,” Bissar said.

She said Farukhddin (27) and Nasruddin (22) led their siblings to a neighbour’s house and came to her side only when she shouted for them.

“By the grace of Allah, we have received an Eid gift, which was unexpected. Last night, we were in tears thinking that we will have to eat the Eid feast at a neighbour’s house, but now, we will invite them to our place,” Bissar said.

Bissar married Mohammad Ishak in 1976 when she was just 13 years old. Ishak was five years older than her. Over the next four decades, Bissar would become pregnant 23 times. Five babies didn’t survive.