While the government spends Rs 2,989 crore on its vanity project, the Sardar Patel statue , the money could have been better spent on poverty alleviation.  The government doesn't even have to look far.

In Odisha's Mayurbhanj, Jyoshna Mukhi has been living in a polythene roof hut along with her family for more than 30 years. She says many sarpanches and ward councillors have visited them during their tenure and assured a permanent house, but the promises were never fulfilled.