Official response comes after Rajya Sabha MP Sasmit Patra’s meeting with the RBI Governor | Right to Food Campaign’s fact-finding report also raises serious questions
New Delhi – The action taken by Jeetu Munda, a poor tribal elder from Diyanali village in Odisha’s Keonjhar district, on April 27th shocked the entire nation. He dug up the grave of his deceased sister, Kalra Munda, packed her bones in a jute sack, and walked barefoot for 2-3 kilometers in the scorching afternoon to reach the Odisha Gramin Bank, Malliposhi branch, to provide proof of her death to bank employees and withdraw ₹19,600 from her account. This money was deposited by selling his two bullocks.
This heartbreaking incident has even shocked the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Rajya Sabha MP and Biju Janata Dal spokesperson Sasmit Patra recently met with the RBI Governor in Mumbai to formally raise the issue and submitted a detailed report on May 7. In response, the RBI wrote in a letter on May 15, stating that the “tragic incident” involving Jeetu Munda has been taken seriously and that suggestions for improving the banking system are being “actively considered.” Signed by Sonali Sen Gupta on behalf of the RBI, the letter stated that “appropriate measures will be taken” to provide better banking services to underprivileged and vulnerable citizens.
“For us, a full meal is like a guest, hunger is like a member of the family.”
The story of Jeetu Munda and his sister Kalra Munda is not just an incident; it is a story of the failure of the government system. The Right to Food Campaign’s fact-finding team visited Dianali village on May 8, and the facts revealed are shocking.
Kalra Munda was a widow and lived with her brother, Jeetu. They had no agricultural land or a permanent livelihood. Both survived on daily wages and sometimes begging. In Jeetu Munda’s words, “Filling the stomach is like having a guest, while hunger has become a member of the family.” In such circumstances, the ₹19,600 deposited in Kalra’s bank account was their only support.
In October-November 2025, when Kalra’s health began to deteriorate, Jeetu repeatedly went to the bank. Each time, he was turned away, saying that he was not an account holder and could not withdraw the money. The bank suggested that Kalra come and withdraw the money herself, but by then, Kalra was bedridden and unable to get up on her own. Jeetu tried to arrange a small vehicle to take her to the bank, but no one agreed.
On April 27, Jeetu Munda took what is perhaps the most difficult step a person can take. He dug up his sister’s grave, placed her bones in a jute sack, and carried them over his shoulders, barefoot, to the bank in the hot afternoon.
According to documentary evidence collected by the Right to Food Campaign’s fact-finding team, Kalra Munda was entitled to two major social security schemes:
- The Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY), which falls under the National Food Security Act (NFSA). According to her ration card, her last ration distribution was on December 2, 2025, when she received a quota of 105 kilograms of rice for the months of January, February, and March 2026.
- Widow pension at the rate of ₹1,000 per month under the State Social Security Scheme. According to her pension passbook, she received her last monthly pension on January 17, 2026.
- Furthermore, Kalra and Jitu lived in a house that was allotted to Kalra Munda under the Rural Housing Scheme in 2021-22.
In contrast, Jitu Munda had neither a ration card nor an old-age pension before the incident, although he was eligible for both. Therefore, the brother and sister relied almost entirely on Kalra’s ration quota and pension for their livelihood. Since these resources were never enough to feed them, they were sometimes forced to beg.
Sister’s death certificate was not issued even after three months, but it was issued within 48 hours of the incident.
As per the rules, the standard procedure for issuing a death certificate should be completed within seven days. After a person’s death, the ASHA worker follows the following process: The ASHA worker meets the family of the deceased and collects the Aadhaar card of the deceased and the Aadhaar card of the guardian/family member. These documents are submitted to the Sub-Center.
The Sub-Center verifies the documents and then forwards them to the Primary Health Center (PHC)/Community Health Center (CHC). The Primary Health Center (PHC) or Community Health Center (CHC) issues the death certificate.
Kalra Munda passed away on January 26th. Everyone in the village knew about her death—the ASHA worker, the Anganwadi worker, and the Panchayat representative. Yet, for more than three months, the death certificate remained unissued. The ASHA worker submitted the documents to the sub-center, but the ANM wouldn’t process them. Every time Jitu went to the bank, he was told to bring proof of death.
Then, on April 27th, Jitu Munda took the most difficult step any human being can take. He dug up his sister’s grave, placed her bones in a jute sack, and, carrying them on his shoulders, walked barefoot to the bank in the hot afternoon. He sat on the veranda for nearly two hours. When a crowd began to gather, the bank employees closed the gate.
When the police arrived, they told Jeetu, “Take the bones back and walk back to the village.” The policemen left in their car, and Jeetu Munda once again walked barefoot, in the sweltering heat, carrying his sister’s bones on his shoulders.
As soon as the matter reached the media, the entire machinery swung into action. On April 29th, a death certificate was issued, which could have been issued three months earlier. That same day, Jeetu’s bank account was opened, and the money from his sister’s account was transferred to it. On April 30th, he was enrolled for a ₹1,000 monthly old-age pension, and the April pension was issued that day. He also received a ration card. These were all entitlements that Jeetu should have received long ago.
Since the incident, much has changed in Jeetu Munda’s one-room house, built under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Prime Minister’s Housing Scheme). Politicians, officials, and journalists all began visiting him. He received an iron bed, a mattress, a pedestal fan, a bicycle, an aluminum box, and sacks of rice, potatoes, and onions. When a viral video showed his bare feet, someone even sent him slippers. But Jeetu has decided to spend the donations on the education of his family’s children.
Despite all this sympathy, Jeetu appears weary. He has to tell the same story again and again. Each new meeting rekindles the pain.
Aadhaar becomes a barrier to rights
The fact-finding report revealed another serious flaw: the Aadhaar card. After his sister’s death, Jeetu Munda was plunged into even greater distress. A portion of his already meager resources were spent on her funeral. He approached the local ration shop dealer and the village panchayat to request a ration card and old-age pension—benefits he was clearly entitled to as a destitute, landless, elderly man. But he was denied both, saying he couldn’t produce his Aadhaar card. Jeetu’s Aadhaar had been lost. A man whose identity, address, and poverty were known to everyone in the village was denied rations in the same village because he didn’t have an Aadhaar card. With the help of Haribandhu Mahanta, the former village ward member, his Aadhaar card was finally located and updated, and he received it just two days before the incident.
How did the administration wake up after the photos went viral?
Once the incident attracted media attention, the local administration acted with extraordinary speed to address Jeetu Munda’s long-pending grievances:
The Community Health Center (CHC), Patna, issued Kalra Munda’s death certificate within two days, on April 29th.
A bank account was opened for Jeetu Munda on April 29th, and the money lying in his sister’s account, as well as additional assistance received from various government and private donors, was deposited into that account. Jeetu Munda was issued a ration card. He was enrolled for a social security pension on April 30th, and the pension amount of ₹1,000 for the month of April was released that same day. Benefits that had been denied for years were provided within a few days, only after the matter became public. This fact itself is a clear commentary on the system’s responsiveness to the poorest citizens.
Bank’s Conduct Under Question
The Odisha Gramin Bank, Malliposhi branch, has only three regular employees – the branch manager (who was on leave on the day of the visit), a cashier, a messenger – as well as a Bank Mitra. The fact-finding team noted the following points:
- Despite Jitu Munda’s repeated visits to the branch, no member of the bank staff appears to have made a genuine effort to understand his circumstances or find an alternative procedural route to resolve his problem.
- Bank staff knew, or should have known, that Kalra Munda was a poor, sick widow living in the immediate vicinity of the branch, and that her brother was her caregiver.
- After the incident became public, bank officials reportedly visited Jeetu Munda’s home and arranged for the withdrawal of the deposited funds. The team questioned:
Under what rule was this done after the incident? And under what rule was it impossible to withdraw the same funds during the months when it was considered impossible?
What did the RBI say?
Dr. Sasmit Patra met with the RBI Governor in Mumbai to raise the Jeetu Munda issue. He met with the RBI Governor in Mumbai and submitted a detailed report, demanding “humane, accessible, and citizen-centric banking SOPs for vulnerable citizens.” In its response, the RBI acknowledged that vulnerable people face procedural difficulties in such sensitive cases and that the banking system would be made more accountable.
In response to their letter dated May 7, 2026, the RBI wrote: “We have taken seriously the concerns raised by you regarding the procedural difficulties faced by vulnerable persons in a sensitive matter like the settlement of claims of deceased depositors. Your suggestions are currently being actively considered to effectively address the existing gaps. We are firmly committed to ensuring that the banking system remains responsive to the needs of disadvantaged customers and serves them effectively. Appropriate measures will be taken to increase customer awareness and improve facilitation mechanisms.”
Key Recommendations of the Fact-Finding Report
Based on its findings, the team submitted the following recommendations. The team requested immediate and timely action at every level.
- On Death Registration
ASHA, Anganwadi, and Panchayat workers must compulsorily report every death within seven days, regardless of whether the family attends. Death certificates for pension and ration card holders should be issued automatically and free of charge.
- On Aadhaar and Entitlements
No citizen should be denied a ration card or pension solely because they do not possess Aadhaar. Panchayat-level verification should be accepted as an alternative form of identification. Aadhaar enrolment for PVTGs and the elderly should be conducted in a camp-based manner at the Gram Panchayat level.
- On Banking SOPs
The Odisha Gramin Bank and the Cooperative Department should issue SOPs for doorstep banking, simplified enrollment processes, and humane claim settlement for bedridden, needy, and deceased account holders. An internal investigation should be conducted into the conduct of the Malliposhi branch.
- On Police Conduct
The Superintendent of Police of Keonjhar should investigate the conduct of the Patna police station on April 27th who forced Jitu, who was standing barefoot and distraught, carrying his sister’s bones, to walk while they themselves left in the car.
- On Jitu Munda’s Care
The district administration should take responsibility for Jitu Munda’s long-term care. His brother and sister-in-law, who were found to be severely malnourished, should also be immediately cared for.
Geetha Sunil Pillai
Courtesy: Hindi News