The Report - North 24 Parganas

14. RABIN GHOSHNREGA has generated benefits in cash and kindRabin Ghosh, 38 years old is principally a businessman in Kolkata. He has a smallcloth business in Kolkata and has been engaged for about 10 years. He hasancestral property in Bispur, Hingalganj. He lives with his wife, mother and onedaughter in Class IX. His elder brother however has a separate household. Thetotal household income is about Rs. 3000. “I think I am not extremely well off butit’s fine. If I had the choice of expanding my business, I could afford betterhousing or living conditions.”Rabin’s wife is associated with self help groups where she has been paying Rs. 20per month. “But I have little information on how much my wife has been able tosave through the SHG program and if she has taken out a loan, it has been veryminor and has been used for household expenses.”Rabin has spent long days at the hospital suffering from a pancreatic disease.For this he had incurred a lot of expenses that has been a burden on the family.Rabin doesnot have land for cultivation exclusively. The land adjacent to hishome is what the family owns and is about four bighas. He has some extraincome from this land that has been leased out and is being currently used forrice cultivation.The pond on his house premises existed for many years. But it was of no usebecause the water was dirty and had clogged. “The panchayat helped usclean up the water in the pond. Now every one of us can use the water forsanitation and cleaning purposes,” Rabin says. Water for drinking comes from thevat.Rabin has not been able to produce a lot of vegetation on his house premises.“We also have a small piece of land for vegetation. But this is exclusively forpersonal use. We donot have enough produce for sale.” Rabin says that therehas been improvement in the rice yields over years because of the use offertilisers. But because the produce is dependent on rainfall and climaticvariations, it is very unpredictable to have a steady agricultural income. As far asthe water from the pond is concerned and the feasibility of its use in cultivationhe says, “The pond has been useful in increasing supply of water. Yet it is notsufficient for everyone in the village. We need more ponds for overall bettermentof the villagers. ”“I have not been employed through NREGA. I don’t have a job card because Idon’t stay here. The pond has been excavated through the panchayat. But