Error fixed, pension of 52 Mahendragarh residents restored after one year
In a significant relief for 52 residents from the Nangal Choudhary area of Mahendragarh district, their monthly pensions have finally been restored after being withheld for a year due to a clerical error that marked them as “dead” in official records.
Arrears yet to be released
- Pensions were withheld since February last year, causing financial hardship
- Only one month’s pension released so far; arrears expected next month
- District authorities have assured beneficiaries that the full dues will be cleared soon
The beneficiaries — comprising elderly, widows and disabled individuals — from the villages of Dholera, Meghot Binja and Meghot Hala — had been battling to prove they were alive since February last year. The Tribune had highlighted this issue in these columns on February 11, which played a pivotal role in resolving the matter.
Babu Lal, father of Ram Bharose, a disabled pensioner from Meghot Binja, expressed relief at receiving this month’s pension but highlighted that arrears for the past 11 months were still pending. “The majority of the beneficiaries rely on this pension for survival. Despite being alive, they had to make endless trips to government offices to prove it. We are grateful to The Tribune for raising our voice and helping us get justice,” he said.
Echoing similar concerns, Bir Singh Yadav, father of Meghot Binja Sarpanch Manoj Yadav, emphasised the emotional and financial toll the ordeal had taken on the affected families. “We raised this issue multiple times before district authorities. While we are thankful for the restoration, only one month’s pension has been released. The state government should ensure the full arrears are credited without any more delay,” Yadav urged.
District Social Welfare Officer Amit Sharma confirmed that the pensions for all 52 beneficiaries had been restored. “The arrears are being calculated and will soon be forwarded to the state authorities for disbursement. We expect the pending amounts to be credited to beneficiaries' accounts along with next month’s pension,” Sharma assured.
The beneficiaries, who endured financial hardship and bureaucratic red tape, now hope for a swift release of their arrears to fully recover from the year-long ordeal.
