The narrow lanes leading to R’s house were white, seemingly paved quite recently, and sparkled like granules of icing sugar in the sun. Most of the buildings lining the street were only three or four stories high and some of the ground floors had been converted into shops. R’s 75-year-old father, a retired policeman who also lived with them, owned the house and so R did not have to pay any rent. Both his parents suffered from diabetes and their medical expenses were covered by a government scheme. The Municipal Corporation took care of waste disposal and supplied them with water every morning and evening. For extra water they had installed a motor to store groundwater in a tank, from where it was filtered through an RO machine before being suitable for use.
R had four kids who all attended the local government school. One of his daughters worked part-time at the grocery shop which R runs from one of the street-facing rooms in his flat.
R and his family therefore had surprisingly low monthly expenses, but anticipating future expenses he said, “Aamdani badegi to kharcha badega (If our earnings increase, then the expenditure will also increase.)”