482 persons with disabilities deprived of monthly pension in district

A whopping 482 persons with disabilities have been deprived of monthly pension for the last few months due to various reasons, according to a survey by the Commissionerate for Persons with Disabilities.

The top brass has sent a list of such beneficiaries to multi-purpose rehabilitation workers in the taluk panchayat offices to rectify errors.

“The monthly pension is cancelled if fake documents are submitted or after the death of beneficiary. It is not known how a large number of beneficiaries have been deprived of the facility. A report will be sought to fix the problems,” Persons with Disabilities and Senior Citizens Welfare Department district officer Jyothi said.

According to an office-bearer of Karnataka Vikalachethanara Samsthe, beneficiaries have been thronging post offices, revenue departments and taluk offices for the pension without any results.

The revenue department officials point out that the monthly pension payment system was handed over to Khajane-2. During the changeover, the Aadhaar cards of many beneficiaries did not match which may cause the problem.

The beneficiaries awaiting the pension alleged that the officials were transferring the responsibility instead of find out solution. They were sent back from the offices on the ground that valid documents were not submitted on time.

According to them, many beneficiaries did not submit the documents as they are illiterate and are unaware of the government recent orders.

“Many beneficiaries are bed-ridden. They contact me seeking relief. The officials transfer the responsibility when I meet them for solution,” Samsthe secretary Kiran Nayak told DH.

Tahsildar Nagaprashanth did not attend calls for official clarification.

“About 175 beneficiaries in Chikkaballapur taluk alone are awaiting the pension. A survey should be conducted to identify such people for relief,” he said.

“The officials had entered in records that Mamatha, a beneficiary from Nandi hobli, was dead though she is still alive. She was produced before the officials to rectify errors,” he said.

In another instance, the officials disbursed the pension to a beneficiary for three years even after her death.

“I am physically disabled. My brother is mentally ill. I haven’t received the pension for the last six months,” Sumitha, a beneficiary from Kelaginathota said.