TIRUCHY: Several of the 5,591 beneficiaries aged 80 and above receiving financial assistance under various social security pension schemes in the central region of the state complain of hardships in meeting their daily expenses as they say the money order has not been reaching them until at least the 20th of every month over the past one year.
With several of those opting for disbursement of assistance through money order suffering mobility issues or being less accustomed to banking, they urge the authorities concerned for corrective steps for timely release of funds.
The union and Tamil Nadu governments provide financial assistance to the elderly, disabled and widows through the Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNAOP), Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme (IGNDPS) and Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme respectively.
Under the IGNAOP, those Below Poverty Line (BPL) and aged 60 years or above receive a monthly financial assistance of Rs 1,200. Of the amount, Rs 900 is the state government’s share while the remaining is contributed by the centre.
The elderly, particularly those who are less digitally literate, prefer receiving pension through money order. Those with mobility issues also prefer this mode of disbursement. The means of disbursement is made available for those above 80. A postman from the respective sub-post office hands over the assistance to such beneficiaries. The inordinate delay in disbursement, however, has left several of them struggling to make ends meet, said Swamimalai S Vimalnathan, who has been working for the welfare of the underprivileged.
One of the beneficiaries, C Kittu (84) of Thanjavur, said, “I have been receiving the pension since the age of 60. For more than a year, it has been delayed in disbursement. We used to get it within the first three days of a month. Then it was delayed to five, then 10, then 15. Last August, I got it on the 22nd. The Rs 1,200 is my only source of income. Due to the delay, I am unable to meet expenses like buying medicines and other essentials.”
A Gregory, project director of Voice Trust in Tiruchy said, “The (beneficiaries) find it difficult to meet daily expenses if it (assistance) is not delivered on time.”
When enquired, a senior official from the office of the Postmaster General-Central Region, Tamil Nadu, in Tiruchy told the TNIE, “Once we receive the money, within a day or two our staff promptly deliver it (money order) at their doorstep. So, the delay is not from our side.”
District-level officials in the Department of Social Security Scheme (SSS) assured to check with the postal department and make corrective steps, if any.
