HC raps AP for denying pensions

Hyderabad: “Scrap the pension scheme if you do not have enough money to give pensions to all the eligible people.” This was the stern message to the Government of Andhra Pradesh by the High Court at Hyderabad on Tuesday.

Justice C V Nagarjuna Reddy castigated the authorities of AP Government for deleting the names of the most deserving senior citizens from the list of beneficiaries of old-age pensions. He said it would amount to discrimination if the Government limits the benefits of old-age pension to a few out of the large number of eligible people in a village.

The Justice made these remarks while hearing a petition filed by Gampala Venkatesulu and 19 others challenging the arbitrary methods of the authorities in this regard. The petitioner, who is the sarpanch of M Agraharam village in Maddikera mandal of Kurnool district, has brought the case of 19 deserving persons whose names were abruptly deleted from the pensioners list to the notice of the court.

They were drawing pension of Rs 1000 per month till their names were abrupt removed from the list. N Niyatha, counsel for the petitioner, informed the court that the authorities have completely ignored the recommendations of the village sarpanch, who is actually the head of selection panel for these pensions.

She alleged that political activists of the ruling party have been calling the shots in this matter which goes against the rules framed by the government. She submitted to the court a set of photos of the old persons who have been removed from the pensioners list.

Justice Nagarjuna Reddy became furious at the response of the Government Pleader for Panchayat Raj who said they would inquire into the matter. He questioned the inability of the government authorities in going to the villages and selecting the most deserving beneficiaries. He directed the Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Department and the Kurnool District Collector to file their counters.