The Story of Nanka

Bhaskar Majumdar on March 6th, 2017

Nanka is Nanka Bharti aged around 35 with a wife, two sons and a daughter. Naka works as a non-agricultural labourer in and around the city of Allahabad as and when engaged by the local sub-contractor under the multiple core contractors in the city. Nanka is a Dalit, his wife remains engaged as a domestic assistant, his sons are in studies and daughter just entered into the first step in school – it is Anganwadi school.
Nanka lives with his family in the Allengunj area of the city – he does not own land but has managed to construct a one-room Jhopri (dilapidated cottage) on the Railway land.
Today I found Nanka engaged in my social science research Institute at Allahabad seriously engaged in painting work. He is a manual worker, illiterate, and ready to be engaged in any work. He earns per day between Rs. 200 and Rs. 250 and gets the scope to work on average 20-25 days per month. His income per month comes between Rs. 4000/- and Rs. 5000/-. His wife is engaged as a domestic assistant earning on average Rs. 2000/- per month. Thus, their household income stands between Rs. 6000/- and Rs. 7000/-. Nanka is satisfied in the family with reported absence of any domestic violence. Nanka has a Jan Dhan Yojana Account in the Bank for the simple reason that it permits zero balance. Nanka however so far hhas failed to medically treat her ailing daughter for absence of lump-sum money.
Nanka hope his sons will come out of poverty and will not be like him (materially speaking) – they are expected get education and get a better life.

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Bhaskar Majumdar

Bhaskar Majumder is at present Professor of Economics in G.B. Pant Social Science Institute. Previously he served as Professor and Head of the Centre for Development Studies, Central University of Bihar, Patna. He got his Graduation, Master's Degree, M. Phil., Ph.D., all in Economics, from the University of Calcutta. He is engaged in teaching and research for more the past 39 years in Calcutta, Allahabad and Patna in a number of Institute and Universities.
Professor Majumder has written and published so far nine books on social sector. He has authored so far sixty nine research papers in around twenty referred journals. In addition, he has contributed thirty chapters in books on social sciences, apart from several review articles for journals and magazines, plus publications in national and international Conference proceedings. He has so far completed 23 research projects sponsored and supported by World Bank, Ministry of Rural Development (GoI), Planning Commission, ICSSR (GoI), Industries including NTPC and Tata Chemicals. Many students got D.Phil. from the University of Allahabad under his supervision.