Her husband too worked as agricultural labourer. She too worked and they led a content life. But, after, her husband’s death, she had to don the role of the head of the family . Now, her parents have joined her to lend some support. The brighter side of the traumatic episode is that her husband was enrolled into Aam Admi Bima Yojana, thanks to the advice and support of the local group leader who later became the Bima Mithra of Uppada Kothapalli village.
The death of her husband was intimated to the local women’s group who readily responded by alerting the Call Centre. As a result, Rs. 5000 was released as instant relief followed by claim settlement. She was given the second installment of Rs. 25000.
Though young, she was wise to spend the Aam Admi money on house construction as she considered it a priority for a single woman with a problem child. Later, she joined the local women’s group, Jyothi Swayam Sahayaka Sangham and has been an active member for five years . She availed the loan facility of Rs. 25,000 and promptly repaid the loan amount. She has admitted her daughter into a deaf and dumb school at Sarpavaram near Kakinada town. Her daughter is now studying class IV
Mrs. Venkata Laxmi works as a daily wage labourer these days. When there is no work, she stitches ladies garments and earns a Rs. 20 per day. To augment her income she expressed her willingness to join the Abhayahastam scheme. She could not because of the deadline set for enrolment. When her husband was enrolled into Aam Admi scheme, she told him that she too would get enrolled into Abhayahastam scheme. But her husband negated her resolve saying that he was already under insurance coverage by virtue of being an agricultural labourer. She feels bad today that she should have been more assertive then. Today, though she wants to enroll there is no chance for her to do so.
This family story testifies how the members benefitted from state’s insurance schemes and yet fail to gain the maximum benefits. For Mrs. Venkata Laxmi, the Abhayahastam scheme is the only known solace today because it gives her the necessary moral strength and assurance for a problem-free old age. Having a dumb daughter, Mrs. Venkata Laxmi feels that the doors of the Abhayahastam scheme should be kept wide open for people like her in order to lead a peaceful and content life