A Kashi bank that hasn't run dry: It pays customers in foodgrains

VARANASI: The Anaj Bank (foodgrain bank), perhaps only of its kind, has been silently serving poor women in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Kashi by providing free foodgrains to them as per their needs. One can also get 5kg foodgrains in exchange of ` Anaj Mudra' (grain currency) of the denomination of 5kg issued by this bank.
“I am very happy as I received 20kg food grains today ,“ said Rupa, a resident of Hukulganj whose marriage is scheduled on November 21.“Generally a beneficiary (account holder) gets 5kg foodgrains per week, but Rupa was facilitated with extra quantity of grains in view of her marriage,“ said Rajiv Srivastava, founder of the bank and assistant professor at Banaras Hindu University . The bank is looked after by a group of nine women, and run by a local NGO Vishal Bharat Sansthan in Hukulganj area.
Other beneficiaries like Shanti Devi, Madhu Devi, Khushbunnisa, Munni and Ranno Devi also received foodgrains on Friday. After co ming into existence in October 2015, the bank has been serving over 400 account holders with free foodgrains donated by about 150 people on regular basis, said Srivastava adding that the main objective of introducing such a bank is to help those in need.
“There is no monetary transaction in this bank. Any person can open account by voluntarily depositing 5 kg foodgrains. Some members even deposit two quintals foodgrains, he said, adding that every donor and every beneficiary is issued bank pass book in which the transaction of foodgrains is maintained. The beneficiaries get foodgrains to manage two meals a day , while the donors get `satisfaction' as interest,“ he said. The banks accepts rice, atta, gram, pulses, sugar, edible oil and even vegetables from donors.
Before starting this bank, a do or-to-door survey was conducted in different localities to identify the needy people. At present the bank has 428 beneficiaries and 152 donors. Archana Bharatvanshi, who looks after the functioning of bank, said that in last one year the banks received 14,412 kg foodgrains as donation out of which 14,212 kg were distributed among the beneficiaries. The bank takes special care of elderly women, widows, pregnant and physically challenged women, she said.
The bank has issued ` Anaj Mudra' of the denomination of 5kg foodgrain. The banks provides 5kg foodgrains to a person against the grain currency of this denomination, said Srivatava adding that Anaj Mudra is given to the unregistered poor.