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A file picture of three of the nine Birhor boys
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Bokaro. Oct. 11: The dream of bagging government jobs and sustaining their poor families has finally come true for nine Birhor boys of Bokaro, albeit late.
The state government has cleared the names of the nine for Grade IV jobs in the welfare department. The Bokaro district administration, which had earned flak for failing to keep its promise of providing government jobs to the boys after they cleared Class XII boards under the care of Bokaro Steel, has published the names on the basis of seniority on the government website.
The nine are Suresh Birhor, Sunderlal Birhor, Santosh Birhor, Chandolal Birhor, Sawan Birhor, Ganesh Birhor, Togolal Birhor, Sahdeo Birhor and Mantu Birhor — all hailing from Gomia’s Tulbul village. They have been asked to register their objections, if any, by November 9.
Notably, The Telegraph had published a report on July 28, highlighting the plight of four of these boys — Chandolal, Santosh, Ganesh and Togolal — who had started working as construction labourers for a paltry Rs 70 a day as government jobs eluded them even after clearing CBSE Class XII exam.
However, today, they were a happy lot.
Speaking to The Telegraph over phone from Tulbul village, Suresh could not contain his happiness. “It’s a great news. My friends and I are obliged to Bokaro Steel for sponsoring our education and grooming us. We also want to thank the district officials, including DC and welfare officer, for helping us reach this stage of our lives. I will pay back to my society by encouraging everyone to study,” he said.
The Birhors had been adopted by Bokaro Steel in 2002 under the company’s corporate social responsibility programme. The steel major took care of their most basic needs of roti (food), kapda (clothes) and makan (accommodation), besides providing free education at Bokaro Ispat Vidyalaya in Sector VIII.
DC Sunil Kumar said he was happy that the boys had got jobs, which would encourage more such primitive tribe youths to embrace education.
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