ONGOLE: Around half the number of beneficiaries of the Social Security Pension (SSP) scheme in the district are now facing troubles in getting their monthly pensions. Usually, they get their pensions through the bank accounts on the first day of the month. But, due to unavailability of funds and some technical snag, this month, nearly 47% of the beneficiaries are are yet to receive their pension amounts.
As per the official records, about Rs 91 crore was deposited in the bank accounts of around 3.79 lakh beneficiaries belonging to 12 categories, including old age, widow, lonely persons, HIV/AIDS victims, differently-abled and kidney patients. Eight out of these 12 categories are getting Rs 2,000 under the Social Security Pensions account. The beneficiaries are getting Rs 2,500 from last month.
Normally, all the social security pensions are disbursed in the first three days of the month. Though the government has no sufficient funds for many of its activities, it is somehow managing to ensure that employees’ salaries and social security pensions are paid. About 60% of the funds deposited into the MPDOs’ bank accounts by July 30, 2019. The remaining amount should be deposited in their bank accounts by August 1 without fail. But, due to shortage of funds, the government was unable to deposit the remaining 40% funds as per its promise. Pensioners in 36 out of the 56 mandals are yet to receive their pension amounts. On August 1, while disbursing 60% of the SSP amounts, the officials informed the beneficiaries that they will get the remaining amount by August 2 or 3 without fail. But, that did not happen.
“I have been receiving SSP for the last two years. This is the first time that I failed to get the amount even on the third day of the month,” PS Lakshmi, a pensioner in the single woman category from Cheemakurthi mandal told TNIE on Saturday. S Venkata Ramana Reddy, M S Lakshmi, both old-age pension beneficiaries, belonging to Maddipadu mandal, said they too are yet to receive their pension amounts.
Staff at the office of the DRDA Project Director said that the government had already released about 60% SSP amounts. The remaining amounts would be deposited in the bank accounts of beneficiaries shortly, they added.