No pension for two months; thousands let down by govt

Charminar: Though the GO regarding an increase in Aasra pension amount brought cheer, the joy has been short-lived as beneficiaries are yet to receive pension for two months. Many had been eagerly waiting for the pension to plan for Ramzan.

"If the pension with present amount only is getting delayed for a long time then what would be the case with the proposed pensions? With no pension for the last two months, several poor people were unhappy on Eid day," bemoaned Mohammed Mahboob, the President of Pattana Vikalangula Samakya Rajendranagar.

A GO Ms.No.34 was issued on May 28, doubling the pension for different categories under the Aasra scheme. While the old age people, widows, weavers, toddy tappers, persons with HIV-AIDS, beedi workers, single women and filaria patients, who are presently getting Rs 1000 per month, would get the increased amount of Rs 2,016, the disabled would get Rs 3,016 per month instead of Rs 1,500 that they had been receiving till now. However, the GO clearly says that the enhanced monthly pension scheme would come into effect from the month of July.

"A few months earlier when the issue of delay was raised, it was promulgated through a government order that the date of disbursement of the pension should not exceed beyond 5th of every month. However, delay in releasing the fund has become the rule rather than the exception.

"We have been not been receiving the pension since April and had wished to get the pension well before the Eid day, but this has not happened. Almost two months have passed without the pension and anyone could guess the pain of those in distress for whom the pension is the only source of survival," said Syed Afroz, the president Telangana Disabled Welfare Society.

"It is very unfortunate that the government is not paying any attention towards inordinate delay in the release of pension. Beneficiaries, especially the disabled who are solely dependent on the pension amount, are facing hardships. We demand that the KCR government release the pension amount as soon as possible and streamline the process of disbursement as the present mechanism is causing inordinate delay in releasing the annuity," Afroz demanded.