52 villagers in Mahendragarh marked ‘dead,’ denied pension for year
As many as 52 pension beneficiaries, including widows and disabled persons, from three villages — Dholera, Meghot Binja and Meghot Hala — in the Nangal Choudhary area have been deprived of their pensions for the past year after being wrongly marked as “dead” in official records.
Despite repeated visits to government offices, the affected individuals have not received any relief, while district authorities claim the issue is being rectified and pensions will be restored soon.
According to information, 23 beneficiaries belong to Dholera village, 19 to Meghot Hala and 10 to Meghot Binja.
A local official, speaking on condition of anonymity, revealed that nearly 200 pensioners were wrongly declared deceased in official records by the bank over a year ago. While the pensions of elderly individuals were restored after several months — along with arrears — 52 widows and disabled persons are still waiting for their rightful dues.
Babu Lal, father of Ram Bharose, a disabled beneficiary from Meghot Binja, said, “Despite our repeated efforts, my son’s pension has not been restored. The affected beneficiaries are suffering due to a mistake they did not make. Withholding pensions is a double blow for many, who are already struggling financially.”
Lala Ram, father of Dharamvir, another affected beneficiary, echoed similar concerns, saying, “Everyone, from district officials to state authorities, knows these beneficiaries are still alive, yet the pension delay continues. Each time, we’re assured that it will be restored soon, but nothing happens.”
Devdutt, a relative of Subhash Devi, a widow from Meghot Hala, highlighted the dire financial situation of widows dependent on pensions. “We recently met district officials, who assured us the pension would be restored this month, but we are still waiting,” he said.
Manoj, Sarpanch of Meghot Binja, criticised the administration’s inaction and said, “The issue has been raised multiple times with district authorities, but it remains unresolved. The pension is a crucial source of survival for many beneficiaries.”
Brijesh Kumar, a family member of Pavitra, Sarpanch of Meghot Hala, urged authorities to act swiftly. “The beneficiaries are facing severe hardship without their pensions. Immediate action is needed to rectify this mistake,” he said.
Amit Sharma, District Social Welfare Officer, Narnaul, confirmed that pensions of 52 beneficiaries are yet to be restored. “The error occurred at the bank level, where the state government deposits pension funds. We have urged state authorities to correct the records and restore the pensions as soon as possible. We are hopeful for a resolution soon.”
