55-year-old Udaipur woman gives birth to 17th child, family struggles with food, shelter, education
Udaipur: Rekha Galbelia, a 55-year-old woman from Udaipur, recently gave birth to her 17th child. This follows a history of multiple pregnancies, including the loss of five children shortly after birth.
The family, who lives in severe financial distress, has been grappling with the challenges of raising a large family with minimal resources, as reported by India Today on Wednesday.
Despite her previous pregnancies, only 11 of Rekha's children survived, with five of them already married and some of them having children of their own. However, the family's financial situation has only worsened with time.
Rekha's daughter, Shila Kalbeliya, opened up about the struggles the family faces.“We all had to face a lot of difficulties. Everyone is shocked to hear that our mother has so many children,” India Today quoted Kalbeliya as saying.
The financial burden of raising such a large family has been overwhelming. Rekha’s husband, Kavra Kalbeliya, explained that they struggle to make ends meet. “To feed our children, I had to borrow money from moneylenders at 20 percent interest. I have repaid lakhs of rupees, but the loan interest is still not fully paid,” he said.
The family, who survives by collecting scrap materials, has been unable to provide for their children's education. “We do not have enough resources for food, weddings, or education. These problems trouble us every single day,” Kavra said.
"Although a house was sanctioned under the PM Awas scheme, we remain homeless because the land is not in our name. We simply do not have the resources," he added.
In a surprising revelation, Roshan Darangi, a gynaecologist at the Jhadol Community Health Centre, noted that the family had initially misrepresented Rekha’s medical history. “When Rekha was admitted, the family told us this was her fourth child. Later, it was revealed that this was her 17th child,” India Today quoted him as saying.
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PM leads mega roadshow in Sikkim, to attend celebrations marking 50 years of statehood on Tuesday
Gangtok (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi led a mega roadshow in Gangtok on Monday evening after arriving in Sikkim to attend the closing ceremony of 50 years of statehood celebrations.
Modi, who wore a traditional Bhutia cap and a Lepcha coat, was received at the Libing helipad by Governor Om Prakash Mathur and Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang.
From the helipad, the PM began the roadshow, which concluded at Lok Bhavan, where he will stay overnight.
On the open vehicle, Modi was flanked by CM Tamang on his left and state BJP president D R Thapa on his right.
Large crowds lined the roads for hours, waving national flags and waiting to catch a glimpse of the Prime Minister.
As his convoy moved slowly through the city, people broke into celebrations. Some enthusiastic supporters chanted "Modi, Modi, Modi", while a few women were seen showering flower petals in his direction.
Modi acknowledged the cheering crowds by waving continuously.
Tamang was also seen urging the gathered people to cheer for the PM during the roadshow.
The route of the roadshow was decorated, with arch gates erected at several points and large cut-outs of Modi placed along the roads.
On Tuesday, Modi will visit the Orchidarium in Gangtok. To commemorate the golden jubilee of Sikkim's statehood and showcase the state's ecological and floral heritage, the 'Swarnajayanti Maitri Manjari' Park has been developed as a world-class Orchid Experience Centre.
The PM will also participate in the closing ceremony of Sikkim's 50th statehood celebrations at Paljor Stadium, where he will unveil development projects worth over Rs 4,000 crore.
The projects cover several sectors, including infrastructure, connectivity, healthcare, education, power, urban development, environment, tourism and agriculture.
Modi is also scheduled to address the gathering on the occasion.
He was expected to attend the opening ceremony of the year-long celebrations last year, but could not reach the venue due to inclement weather. However, he addressed the event virtually from Siliguri in neighbouring West Bengal.
Tamang later thanked the people for giving the grand reception to the PM during the hour-long roadshow in the state capital.
"With immense fervour and heartfelt enthusiasm, the people of Sikkim accorded a grand and resounding welcome to Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji on his arrival in Gangtok," he said in a social media post.
Tamang said people from all walks of life gathered in large numbers to greet him, reflecting the deep respect and warm affection the people of Sikkim hold for his leadership.
"It was indeed an honour to join him during the roadshow and witness the overwhelming love and support of the people firsthand," he said.
