A scheme implemented for mobility of physically disabled persons by the Department for the Welfare of Differently Abled Person has helped a beneficiary to earn his bread during this lockdown period.
Nagaraj of Thiruvaiyaru, who is a beneficiary of the retrofitted petrol scooters scheme implemented by the Tamil Nadu government, runs a fruit-cum-juice shop near his house to support his family of four persons. His earnings took a beating following the lockdown as he was unable to open his shop. Subsequently, in order to recoup the investment he had made for purchasing fruits prior to the lockdown, his wife, Thilagavathi suggested him to take up door-to-door sale of fruits using the retrofitted scooter within the town.
As the new idea worked out in favour of the family, the couple decided to expand their area of operation to nearby villages and started procuring fruits from a wholesale shop at Thanjavur daily.
“I and my wife procure the fruits at the wholesale shop and after dropping my wife at home, I take up my mobile vending business by 7 a.m. and return before 1 p.m. as directed by the government”, he said.
Though he is unable to earn what he used to from his shop, the new-found business has kept him active, said G. Srinivasan of Ganapathi Agraharam, who has made it a point to purchase fruits from Nagaraj as and when he visits the hamlet.
“By this way I am contributing a little bit to his efforts to keep his family going”, he added.