Patna, March 18 (IANS) Sarvatia Devi is no ordinary beggar - she has two savings bank accounts and pays Rs.36,000 premium annually for two life insurance policies in her name.

Sarvatia, who is in her mid 50s, looks like any other woman beggar - clad in dirty clothes and roaming the streets of the Bihar capital from morning to dusk.But apparently she collects enough to feed her family and save for a rainy day.

"I save enough out of daily begging to have a bank account and insurance for social security. After all who will look after me when I am old?" asked Sarvatia, who is a widow and is blind in one eye.

Unlike hundreds of homeless beggars who take shelter at the railway station or the Gandhi Maidan or near the famous Mahavir temple, she is the proud owner of a house in the heart of the city.

She even has a large family that she supports through begging.

Sarvatia is a known face at several busy market complexes, temples and roads here and admits that she easily manages to earn Rs.300-400 daily.

"Hundreds of people give me coins and paper money because they have known me for over two decades. They treat me differently and never disappoint me," Sarvatia told IANS.

She said she took to begging after her husband died. "I was forced to beg for the survival of my children as there was no social support for me. I was barely 25 then," she said.

About five years ago, she opted for two life insurance policies after being told by an insurance agent about its benefit in old age.

She pays an annual premium of Rs.31,000 for one life insurance policy of Rs.300,000 and Rs.5,000 annually for the other policy of Rs.100,000.

According to official estimates, there are about 200,000 beggars in the state.