Purnakala Kandel (74) of Chhinchu Bazzar does not have to struggle to make both ends meet with her three son established in their respected professions, however she is happy to receive senior citizen allowance from the local Gangamala Cooperative.[break]
“I always eagerly wait for the day when the allowance is distributed. No matter how little the allowance amount may be, it really feels good to know that it is solely for me,” said Kandel.
The Gangamala Cooperative, situated 27 km to the east from Birendranagar, the district headquarters, has been brining smile to the faces of senior citizens, disabled ones, widows and members from the disadvantaged communities by distributing allowances. The cooperative provides allowances in almost all the categories just like the government.
Mankali Khadka of Chhinchu , Amliseni for the first time received her widow allowance from the government only last year but she had been receiving the allowance in the same category for the last three years from the cooperative.
“Due to the lengthy process and delay, it is really hard to receive government allowance from the Village Development Committee Office,” Khadka shared her experience. “However the cooperative itself calls us to collect the allowance,” she added.
According to the information provided at the annual general meeting of the cooperative, it has distributed a total of Rs 18,000 as allowances for senior citizens, disabled and widows at the rate of Rs 100 per month in a year. Similarly, 43 nursing mothers were provided with Rs 500 as maternity benefit. “As we are community-based cooperative, we always work for the benefits for the community itself,” said cooperative chairman Bhim Prasad Poudel.
He also informed that the cooperative also provided relief worth Rs 32,000 to the people affected by natural disasters in the locality.
The umbrella organization of the cooperatives throughout the country had recognized Gangamala as the excellent cooperative in Mid-Western Region for its devotion to social service. Central committee member of the cooperative Damodar Adhikari urged other cooperatives in the district to learn from Gangamala.
“We operate with the money deposited by the community, so have to go for an exemplary work for the welfare of the community itself,” Adhikari said adding, “Only then our social responsibility will be fulfilled.”
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