This story is from September 17, 2021

Karnataka: Three poor sisters plough land by hand in Mandya

Three sisters — Ankita (19), Rachana (17) and Varsha (15) — of Balaghatta village, Pandavapura taluk, and their parents plough their agricultural land by hand as they can’t afford oxen or machines for the job.
Karnataka: Three poor sisters plough land by hand in Mandya
Shashikala, the mother of three daughters, said the family owns 2 acres of rain-fed land
MANDYA: Three sisters — Ankita (19), Rachana (17) and Varsha (15) — of Balaghatta village, Pandavapura taluk, and their parents plough their agricultural land by hand as they can’t afford oxen or machines for the job.
Their mother Shashikala said the family owns 2 acres of rain-fed land and they depend on it for their livelihood. They grow millet and other crops and the sisters have been help their parents since childhood.
Shashikala said: “We had a pair of bullocks three years ago, but had to sell them due to financial difficulties.
We don’t have any other choice but to till the land by hand. Our daughters help my husband Cheluvaraju.”
The sisters have done well academically. Rachana, for instance, scored 80% in the 2nd PUC (Science) exam and 90% in the SSLC exam.
The sisters said: “We know our financial problems and and we’re not very ambitious. We hope to do well after studies so that we can look after our parents and grandfather. We don’t feel bad about ploughing the land but proud we lead a self-reliant life.”
They requested the district administration to help them purchase a pumpset as a borewell has been dug on their land under the Ganga Kalyana Yojana.
CS Puttaraju, MLA, Melukote assembly segment, told TOI he’ll visit the family on Saturday and will help the girls in their education as well as assist the family financially.
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