Old and infirm have to struggle hard for meager pension
Tahir Mushtaq
JAMMU, June 14: The tall claims of the government of providing the old age pension at the door step to the poor and needy people of the state are all fake as the situation on the ground is completely opposite with aged people are still wandering in the Social Welfare Offices for petty sum.
Social Welfare Department-made to provide facilities to poor, helpless, and needy is virtually failed to serve the purpose for which it was formed. The department also provides old age pension and widow pension.
On a visit to the District Social Welfare Office, this correspondent observed that there were many old aged persons including women who were regularly visiting the office for paltry sum of Rs 200 per month.
Elders present in the office of the DSWO informed that the officials behave rudely to them instead of providing the paltry monthly pension.
Shanti Devi-an elder from Khandwal in district Jammu alleged that she had visited from far-flung area to get the pension but have to go back empty handed.
Social Welfare Department has failed to execute its duties on time.
Another elder Bharat Bhushan from Talab Tillo area stated that the department has decided to mitigate the sufferings of the needy persons by digitalizing all data of the office. He also informed that there was deficiency of staff in the office, the staff has not been increased after 1976, and while the beneficiaries have been increased many fold.
The attitude of the Social Welfare Department can be gauged from one example, Preeti Devi aged 6 years with 20 percent disability has been denied monthly disability pension of Rs 300 on the plea that the scheme has been lapsed. To continue her studies, at present her parents are wandering from pillar to post to get at least pre-matric scholarship. Another handicapped person, Daleep Rana with disability of more than 70 percent said that he applied for disability pension in 1994, up to 1997. But after this the department had discontinued the pension.
He also said that even after completing all the formalities, the department is yet to revive the pension.
District Social Welfare Officer, Atul Gupta said department has number of schemes for the benefit of poor and deprived sections of the society. But he stated that the people are still ignorant about the schemes and procedures.
Gupta further said that the department is also organizing awareness camps for generating awareness among the masses to avail the benefit for the society.
He also cited paucity of funds for the department and shortage of staff. The staff has been not increased since 1976.
Tahir Mushtaq
JAMMU, June 14: The tall claims of the government of providing the old age pension at the door step to the poor and needy people of the state are all fake as the situation on the ground is completely opposite with aged people are still wandering in the Social Welfare Offices for petty sum.
Social Welfare Department-made to provide facilities to poor, helpless, and needy is virtually failed to serve the purpose for which it was formed. The department also provides old age pension and widow pension.
On a visit to the District Social Welfare Office, this correspondent observed that there were many old aged persons including women who were regularly visiting the office for paltry sum of Rs 200 per month.
Elders present in the office of the DSWO informed that the officials behave rudely to them instead of providing the paltry monthly pension.
Shanti Devi-an elder from Khandwal in district Jammu alleged that she had visited from far-flung area to get the pension but have to go back empty handed.
Social Welfare Department has failed to execute its duties on time.
Another elder Bharat Bhushan from Talab Tillo area stated that the department has decided to mitigate the sufferings of the needy persons by digitalizing all data of the office. He also informed that there was deficiency of staff in the office, the staff has not been increased after 1976, and while the beneficiaries have been increased many fold.
The attitude of the Social Welfare Department can be gauged from one example, Preeti Devi aged 6 years with 20 percent disability has been denied monthly disability pension of Rs 300 on the plea that the scheme has been lapsed. To continue her studies, at present her parents are wandering from pillar to post to get at least pre-matric scholarship. Another handicapped person, Daleep Rana with disability of more than 70 percent said that he applied for disability pension in 1994, up to 1997. But after this the department had discontinued the pension.
He also said that even after completing all the formalities, the department is yet to revive the pension.
District Social Welfare Officer, Atul Gupta said department has number of schemes for the benefit of poor and deprived sections of the society. But he stated that the people are still ignorant about the schemes and procedures.
Gupta further said that the department is also organizing awareness camps for generating awareness among the masses to avail the benefit for the society.
He also cited paucity of funds for the department and shortage of staff. The staff has been not increased since 1976.
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