LAST year, on August 27, Masiyatu Tola-a remote hamlet nestling in the lap of the mountains in Kuro block of Lohardaga in Jharkhandwas all decked up. A tent was erected at the Akhra (tribal place of worship) in front of Hari's house to accommodate more than a 1,000 people. Hari, his family of 15, and other villagers were excited since morning. It was the day Prime Minister Narendra Modi, through his Mann Ki Baat, was going to address the tribal and the scheduled-caste residents of Masiyatu Tola-famous for its bamboo artisans.
The PM praised the artisans, assured them a better market for their craftsmanship and spoke of making them aatmanirbhar (self-reliant). The fortune of these artisans and the hamlet with 70 houses should have changed after that, but it didn't. A year later, Masiyatu Tola is still largely dependent on outward migration. Take for instance Hari, 55. Ten members from his family-the youngest is 17 and the eldest is 45-work at brick kilns in Uttar Pradesh for seven months in a year. They returned from a kiln just three months ago.
Hari's daughter Anita, 19, recalls the promise PM Modi had made to uplift them economically by providing them with a good market and remunerative prices for their bamboo products, "So far, we haven't got anything. We don't even get the right price for our bamboo products. We don't earn enough from our craft to run the household around the year. Nor can we rely on agriculture. There has been a dry spell for two years and the prospects of rain this time around don't seem very bright."
Denne historien er fra August 21, 2024-utgaven av Outlook.
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Denne historien er fra August 21, 2024-utgaven av Outlook.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Layers Of Lear
Director Rajat Kapoor and actor Vinay Pathak's ode to Shakespeare is an experience to behold
Loss and Longing
Memories can be painful, but they also make life more meaningful
Suprabhatham Sub Judice
M.S. Subbulakshmi decided the fate of her memorials a long time ago
Fortress of Desire
A performance titled 'A Streetcart Named Desire', featuring Indian and international artists and performers, explored different desires through an unusual act on a full moon night at the Gwalior Fort
Of Hope and Hopelessness
The body appears as light in Payal Kapadia's film
Ruptured Lives
A visit to Bangladesh in 2010 shaped the author's novel, a sensitively sketched tale of migrants' struggles
The Big Book
The Big Book of Odia Literature is a groundbreaking work that provides readers with a comprehensive introduction to the rich and varied literary traditions of Odisha
How to Refuse the Generous Thief
The poet uses all the available arsenal in English to write the most anti-colonial poetry
The Freedom Compartment
#traindiaries is a photo journal shot in the ladies coaches of Mumbai locals. It explores how women engage and familiarise themselves with spaces by building relationships with complete strangers
Love, Up in the Clouds
Manikbabur Megh is an unusual love story about a man falling for a cloud. Amborish Roychoudhury discusses the process of Manikbabu's creation with actor Chandan Sen and director Abhinandan Banerjee
