RANGPUR, Sept 05 (BSS): Most of the river-eroded 2,660 families, rehabilitated under the Ashrayan Project since 1997, have changed their fortune in Gangachara upazila of the district.
Acting deputy commissioner (DC) Ruhul Amin Mian said the homeless families were rehabilitated in three phases at 266 barracks in 19 Ashrayan projects and provided with supports under the government's comprehensive social safety-net programmes.
"The local government departments have provided necessary training to them and revolving interest-free micro-credit to enhance income generating activities to improve their livelihoods and make them self-reliant," he said.
Talking to the news agency, the rehabilitated inhabitants at different Ashrayan projects expressed their gratitude to the Prime Minister for launching the project giving them new life and hope of brighter future for their children.
Rehabilitated couple Anisa Begum, 40, and Mashiur Rahman, 45, at Purbo Kochua-1 Ashrayan projects said they purchased two bullocks after getting Tk 6,000 micro-credit from upazila cooperative office after rehabilitation there in 1997.
They got Tk 8,000, and subsequently Tk 10,000, purchased another cow and 14 decimals cultivable land, again got Tk 12,000 and Tk 15,000 after timely completing payments of previous loans.
"We have already married off our elder daughter Kajori, 21, and four other daughters Tanzina, 14, Zannatun, 11, Tulimon, 9, and Moyna 5, are studying at classes nine, five, three and one respectively," said Rahman.
"We have assets of Tk 0.3 million and are earning through cultivating crops on our land and selling labour to lead better life with a dream of making our daughters educated," said Anisa.
Couple Anwar Hossain, 58, and Shahajadi Begum, 48, said they were rehabilitated at Purbo Kochua-1 'Ashrayan Prakalpa' in 1997 and got Tk 6,000 micro-credit after getting skill-building trainings from the local government departments.
"We bought two goats, again got Tk 10,000 and later Tk 15,000 when we bought a cow and took lease of 54 decimals land and started cultivating crops thrice a year," said Anwar.
"Now, we have assets of Tk three lakh and our only daughter Sohana, 9, is reading in class three," said Shahajadi adding that their married son Monwarul, 25 also runs a small business. Rehabilitated couple Neer Bala, 50, and Biren Chandra, 56, at Purbo Kochua-2 Ashrayan projects said they got Tk 6,000 loan after their rehabilitation in 1997 and later got Tk 10,000 and Tk 15,000 respectively.
"We bought a cow, then three decimals land and then opened a carpentry shop to run furniture-making business," said Biren adding that they married off their only daughter Kalpona Rani, 30, eight years ago.
Neer Bala said, "We have assets worth Tk 3.50 lakh and my husband is earning well as an expert carpenter as well as running his business."
Our Nilphamari correspondent adds: Construction work on the government Ashrayan Project in Saidpur upazila is nearing completion.
The government has undertaken the initiative to provide residential accommodation for the homeless people.
Ultra poor people including widows, freedom fighters, retarded and old age persons and so on were shortlisted from five union councils of the upazila.
Each union was allotted 60 homes for 60 homeless families.
A total of 300 homes in the upazila were allotted in five union councils.
The unions are: Banglipur, Botlagari, Kamarpukur, Khatamadupur and Kasirambelpukur.
Persons having entitlement of one to ten decimal of land were eligible to be selected and a home comprises measuring 297 esquire feet along with a sanitary latrine.
Sources said a total of Tk 30 million was allotted for the entire project.
Bazlur Rashid, UNO of Saidpur upazila and chairman of the project said plan, design and fund was provided by the government for the construction of the houses.
Upazila chairman Moksudul Momin said the project would go a long way in mitigating the suffering of the homeless ultra poor people of the upazila.
Azizul Islam a recipient of a home said he is delighted as he would be able to live comfortably in the new home.
