THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Serving and retired government employees with differently-abled children are reeling from a recent government order that excludes their wards from receiving family pensions.
This July, the Finance Department set an annual family income limit of Rs 60,000 for eligibility, meaning that differently-abled children who depend on their parents will be unable to claim pension benefits after their parents pass away.
The order has intensified parents’ fears about their children’s future. While there are multiple factors to be worried about the future of the differently-abled, financial security is the biggest of all.
“Every parent worries about their child’s well-being to the point of wishing their child would die before them. The family pension was a beacon of hope, ensuring some financial support,” lamented Lethika K, a mother of a differently-abled girl.
“This decision has brought us agony. I fear for who will care for my daughter after I’m gone. If she has to be placed in a hostel there should be a regular and assured income to cover the expenses,” she said.
Lethika’s hopes were dashed just as she was in the process of including her daughter in the pension plan. Her late husband had retired as an additional secretary to the state government.
Other parents echo Lethika’s concerns. “When you have a differently-abled child, one parent often has to give up their job to provide care. Monthly expenses can be substantial and unpredictable, depending on the child’s needs,” said Vijayakrishnan, who runs the Sredha Computer and Vocational Training Centre in Thiruvananthapuram, founded by parents of differently-abled children. “Denying family pensions hits families that lack additional financial support.”
The finance department issued the order in July following a clarification sought from the Accountant General’s office regarding the disability certificate. Similar eligibility restrictions have also been placed on unmarried daughters.