Elderly face tough time at banks to withdraw pensions

Vijayawada: Elderly people, who receive the social security pensions from the state government, faced hardships standing in the queue lines at the banks due to scorching heat and suffocation on Thursday. There was heavy rush at the banks as many hapless beneficiaries thronged them since morning to withdraw the pension.

The state government announced that it has deposited the pensions into the bank accounts of 48.92 lakh beneficiaries in various bank branches. Due to scorching heat and high temperature, the elderly people suffered as they waited three to four hours to get their money. Many pensioners suffered due to not linkage of Aadhar cards to the bank accounts.

The senior citizens unaware of it went to banks only to be told that they can’t withdraw pensions. The state government has now decided to distribute pension to 16.57 lakh beneficiaries at their doorsteps using the services of the ward and village secretariat staff by May 5.

Overall, the government distributes social security pensions to 64 lakh people in the state.

Pensioners in rural areas suffered most because they had gone to the mandal headquarters in the scorching heat to take the pension from the banks. Some beneficiaries found that their back accounts had become dormant due to lack of transactions for a long time.

In Srikakulam district, many elderly people suffered in the scorching heat at the banks to withdraw the pensions. DRDA PD G Vidya Sagar said the distribution of pension is underway and will be completed by May 5.

Meanwhile, the government has made arrangements to distribute pension at their homes to disabled, bedridden people and the sick. Village and ward secretariat staff are visiting their homes and distributing the pension.