In the small hamlet of Tad Tola in Kechki Panchayat, Latehar district, lives Rukmini Devi, a 33-year-old widow and mother of three children. Belonging to the Cairo tribal community, her life changed dramatically after the death of her husband, a government employee. The family initially managed with the pension she received, along with modest earnings from agriculture. But irregular rainfall made farming difficult, and when her husband’s pension was stopped without notice, she was left in deep distress.
In her efforts to restore the pension, Rukmini Devi encountered multiple hurdles. Officials and middlemen demanded money to process her case—a sum she could not afford. Her financial situation became critical, and she struggled to meet her family’s basic needs.
It was under the Gram Swashashan Campaign that hope returned. The VEDIC Society organized a meeting in Kechki village where her issue was discussed collectively. The team prepared and submitted an application on her behalf, endorsed by the Mukhiya, and forwarded it to the Panchayat Secretariat. The case was then presented at the Janata Darbar in Barwadih before reaching the BDO, Barwadih.
After careful consideration, the BDO acted promptly, and Rukmini Devi’s pension was finally resumed. Today, she receives her pension regularly and cultivates her piece of land to support her family. In good health and spirit, Rukmini Devi now leads a stable and happier life with her children, a proud example of how collective action and community support can restore dignity and hope.