Express Impact: UIDAI to consider leprosy patient Sajida Begum as special case

Leprosy patient Sajida Begum, 65, finally got her pension on Monday, two days after the New Indian Express reported that her pension had been stopped for the lack of an Aadhaar card
Sajida Begum, a leprosy patient, has been living at the Leprosy Hospital on Magadi Road for the past 10 years. (EPS | Vinod Kumar T)
Sajida Begum, a leprosy patient, has been living at the Leprosy Hospital on Magadi Road for the past 10 years. (EPS | Vinod Kumar T)
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BENGALURU: Leprosy patient Sajida Begum, 65, finally got her pension for October on Monday, two days after the New Indian Express reported that her pension had been stopped for the lack of an Aadhaar card. She hasn't received the pension for August, September and November yet.

Sajida Begum, however, is yet to receive the pending amounts from August and September.

Somashekar L, multitask officer from UIDAI's head office who visited the Leprosy Hospital on Magadi Road on Monday said, "We are considering her as a special case. In total, we are enrolling nine patients, neither of them have fingers or iris. We will take identity proof and address proof, and since she doesn't have fingers to authenticate, a picture of her with her hands showing will be attested on the enrollment form. For those who don't have any of these identity proofs we will consider the letter from the hospital medical officer as proof."

Leprosy hospital medical officer Dr Ayub Ali Zai, said, "Five of them hadn't applied for the card. Three of them have been waiting for the card for two years and had an acknowledgement slip from two years back. We are happy for the concern shown for our patients. I have even sent a word to patients in the mini leprosy colony behind our hospital for those who haven't got enrolled."

When the postman was questioned about the pension for August and September he says that he has given it but Sajida says she has not, Zai added.

Officials are verifying with the post office regarding August and September payment as it has been remitted to them like all other months, said Meena Nagaraj, director, Treasury Department.

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