CHENNAI: Persons with Disabilities (PwD) across the State rue that the financial aid announced by the State government in mid June was yet to reach most of them. Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami had announced that around 13.35 lakh PwD, who hold identity cards, would be given Rs 1,000 each as financial assistance in view of the lockdown.
“The government announced that the fund has been allocated and handed over to respective district collectors. In most of the districts, including Chennai, it has not been distributed,” said S Namburajan, state general secretary, Tamil Nadu Association for the Rights of All Types of Differently Abled & Persons with Disabilities.
He further said, “In Chennai, there are 59,000 PwD, of which 26,000 have been getting disability pension. The government had instructed officials to distribute the `1,000 benefit at the doors of beneficiaries. However, what we hear is that the department of Welfare of Differently Abled has contact details of only the 26,000 pensioners and is currently collecting the details of other 33,000 people.” Many beneficiaries fear that the monetary assistance many not reach them at all.
“Previously, when the government announced similar financial aids, they never reached us,” said S Arumugam from Tiruvallur. Another beneficiary P Selvi said, “I have no money at all. I have been depending on volunteers from NGOs to eat. I haven’t paid my rent also. Even though `1,000 will not satiate all our needs, it would definitely be of help.” A senior official from the department of Welfare of Differently Abled said the Chennai Corporation is responsible for disbursement of funds and that they expected it to begin by Monday.
Meanwhile, official says
Chennai Corporation is responsible for disbursement of funds and that they expected it to begin by Monday