KUMUD JENAMANI
Jamshedpur, Sept 11: August and September months might be a bonanza period for a large number of women in the 21-50 years age group who benefited under the popular Maiya Sanmaan Yojna in the state, but for the old age pension beneficiaries (above 60 years) it is altogether a different story.
Most of the pension beneficiaries in the 60 years and above have not received their pension since the last two months, causing the elderly men and women to remain disgruntled.
Many of those who were deprived of the Old Age pension in the months of August and September are making rounds at the party offices and also Panchayat offices where they had got their names enrolled for availing the benefit of this welfare scheme and were disappointed in getting no clear cut reply from the authority concerned.
Rs 1,000 per month under Old Age pension scheme
The Old Age pension at a rate of Rs 1,000 per month is borne by both the central government and state government in the ratio of Rs 300 and Rs 700 respectively.
Meant to provide relief to the people belonging to below poverty line and destitutes, this pension scheme, Indira Gandhi National Pension Scheme has been introduced since 1995 under the National Social Assistant Program.
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Initially, it was completely funded by the central government and the pension amount per month was just Rs 200. But later the Centre increased the amount to Rs 300 and the state government chipped in by pledgling to pay Rs 700 to make the amount to a round figure of Rs 1,000.
But the Maiya Sanmaan Yojna under the social security program is completely a state government affair.
Discontent among beneficiaries
One of the beneficiaries of the old age pension, Geeta Devi said the last pension she had received was in the month of July.
“I do not know why the Old age pension is not coming since last month while the state government is paying Rs 1,000 to women under Maiya Sanmaan Yojna,” said a disgruntled Geeta Devi while talking to The Jharkhand Story.
An apparently upset woman who is in her mid-sixty said she had gone to the local Congress office for enquiry but got no satisfactory response from there.
“Not only me, several other elderly persons have also not got the pension amount after July, ” the elderly woman pointed out.
Delay due to staff shortage and strike
Assistant Director, Social Security, East Singhbhum, Neha Sanjana Khalko who looks after the pension affairs said the delay in old age pension imbursement was due shortage of staff.
“The staff were on strike for a month or so. That is why the old age pension could not be paid in August. Now work in this regard is in progress and the pension of the month of August will be paid shortly,” said Khalko while talking to The Jharkhand Story.
