Dana Manjhi received a cheque of Rs 9 lakh on Thursday in New Delhi, as promised by the Bahrain PM. He flew from Odisha to New Delhi in an Air India Flight accompanied by two members from KIIT University.
He intends to use the money for his daughters’ education.
Moved by reports of a man carrying his wife’s body on his shoulder for burial in Odisha, the Bahrain government had offered to extend financial help to the grieving family.
On 24 August, in Odisha’s backward Kalahandi district, Dana Manjhi was forced to carry his wife’s body on his shoulder for 10 kilometres since he could not find an ambulance.
Majhi’s 42-year-old wife Amang Dei died of tuberculosis on Wednesday morning at the district hospital at Bhawanipatna.
A report in Gulf Daily News earlier said that the premier was upset by the news and he felt “he had to do something to help”.
The Chief District Medical Officer of Kalahandi has claimed that the tribal man, Dana Majhi, who carried his wife’s body n his shoulders, did not ask for an ambulance from the authorities.
For those in such a situation, the Naveen Patnaik government launched the ‘Mahaparayana’ scheme in February, offering free transportation of bodies from government hospitals to the residences of the deceased.
Majhi, however, said that despite his efforts, he received no help from the hospital authorities. Thus, he wrapped his wife’s body in a cloth and started walking towards his village Melghara in Rampur block, about 60 km from Bhawanipatna.
Majhi’s daughter accompanied him till some local reporters spotted the duo. They called up the District Collector and arranged an ambulance for the remaining 50 km of the journey.
I told the hospital authorities that I am a poor man and cannot afford a vehicle. Despite repeated requests, they said they cannot offer any help.Dana Manjhi
Kalahandi District Collector Brunda D said, “As we got to know of the incident, we spoke to the CDMO and arranged an ambulance. I have issued instructions to the Tehsildar to provide assistance under the Harishchandra Yojana,” he said. Under the scheme, assistance is provided to the poor and destitute to perform last rites.
As per the ‘Mahaparayana’ scheme, dead body carriers are supposed to be deployed at 37 government hospitals and a total of 40 vehicles were assigned for the job.
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