Social security: Many names struck off

Nikhila Pant Dhawan

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, December 7

Kaur Singh, a resident of Bathinda, has been making rounds of the Municipal Corporation to get his property documents verified. During all his visits, he is accompanied by his wife, Rani who is blind.

“I am handicapped and my wife is blind and still our names were struck off from the list of beneficiaries of the pension schemes. We have been running from pillar to post to get our documents verified and get the pension resumed. We had been availing pension for the past 35 years. Since we are physically disabled, we do not go out too often. We didn’t attend any re-verification camp and no one came to our house to verify our documents,” Singh said.

There are several others like Kaur and Rani, who are genuine beneficiaries of various social welfare schemes but their names were struck off during the re-verification drive, which is in its last leg now.

In their old age, Joginder Singh, Karnail Singh and Sukhdev Kaur, residents of Mehna Basti and Dashmesh Nagar also narrated similar stories.

“We are old and can barely walk. We waited for someone to come and check our documents at our houses but no one came. Now, we have been told that our names are not there in the list of the beneficiaries. We have come here to fill forms and get the old age pension started,” said Joginder Singh.

Meanwhile, social security officer Navin Gadwal said several names had gone into the list of absentees.

“Those who either didn’t get their documents verified or were not found at home at the time the teams went to their houses for verification, have been enlisted as absentees. This list is being verified now before the names are either added to the list of beneficiaries or struck off,” Gadwal said.

He assured the beneficiaries and asked them not to panic in case their names are not there in the list.

“There is a provision that after the beneficiaries have furnished their documents and are verified to be genuine, their pension will be resumed within a month. As for Kaur Singh and his wife, we are aware of their case and their pension has already been resumed and it is due,” Gadwal said.

Mahatma Gandhi Sarvasv Vikas Camp

The district administration plans to hold Mahatma Gandhi Sarvasv Vikas Camp in the district to address the problems being faced by beneficiaries of various social welfare schemes.

SDM Sakshi Sawhney said these camps would be organised in the nooks and corners of the city.

“The government is aware of the problems being faced by beneficiaries of various schemes and their cases will be verified at these camps. The district administration has already prepared the schedule of these camps and soon people will be able to take benefits of these camps. No genuine beneficiary will be left out of the welfare schemes,” the SDM said.

Who can apply?

• Now, only those elderly, widow and orphan women, dependent children and handicapped people can apply for pension whose annual income from all sources is less than Rs 60,000 per year. 
• As proof, the applicants have to provide copies of either of these — Aadhaar card, voter card, voters’ list, certificate of matriculation or birth certificate issued by the registrar of birth and death.
• For old-age pension, the applicants should have maximum of 2.5 acres or 5 acres of non-irrigated land or 5 acres in waterlogged area (land in the name of husband and wife put together). The report regarding the land holding will be taken from a patwari
• The patwari will do the verification of applicants/beneficiaries from rural areas regarding land and residence proof
• If during the verification, the beneficiary is found to be non-deserving, there is a provision to take double the amount paid to the beneficiary and the same would be claimed from the attesting or recommending authority

The beneficiaries

• For old age pension, men of 65 years and above and women of 58 years and above are eligible. 
• The widow and orphan women pension is being given to women below 58 years.
• Besides, financial aid is given to unmarried women above 30 years, dependent children below 21 years and handicapped people (having more than 50 per cent disability

QUOTES

I am handicapped and my wife is blind and still our names were struck off the list of beneficiaries of the pension schemes. We have been running from pillar to post to get our documents verified and get the pension resumed. We had been availing our pension for the past 35 years. Since we are physically disabled, we do not go out too often. We didn’t attend any re-verification camp and no one came to our house to verify our documents. —Kaur Singh, An affected beneficiary

}We are old and can barely walk. We waited for someone to come and check our documents at our houses, but no one came. Now, we have been told that our names are not there in the list of the beneficiaries. We have come here to fill forms and get the old age pension started. —Joginder Singh, An affected beneficiary

}Those who either didn’t get their documents verified or were not found at home at the time the teams went 

to their houses for verification, have been enlisted as absentees. This list is being verified now before the names are either added to the list of beneficiaries or struck off. —Navin Gadwal, Social security officer