Pension predicament: Digital system fails elderly citizens

Two elderly residents of Fatehabad district have found themselves trapped in bizarre pension-related errors, highlighting serious flaws in the digital records system.

In Saniana village, 73-year-old Mahavir Singh was shocked to learn in July 2025 that he had been officially declared dead in the Family ID system, cutting him off from his old-age pension and other benefits. Singh said the mistake likely occurred due to a digital system error.

“When I went for pension renewal, officials told me that both my wife and I were listed as deceased. But only my wife passed away last year — I am alive,” Singh said. He has lodged a written complaint with the Deputy Commissioner of Fatehabad, demanding action against those responsible. “My whole family is suffering because of this mistake,” he added, noting that the loss of pension has caused financial and emotional stress. His son, Satish Kumar, said repeated visits to government offices are affecting his work and worsening the family’s distress.

Local residents and social activists have condemned the incident, urging the administration to resolve Singh’s case quickly. Responding to the controversy, Sandeep Kumar, Public Liaison Officer of CRID at the ADC office, said the issue occurred because Singh’s Aadhaar card was not updated in the PPP (Parivar Pehchan Patra) system. He assured that once the Aadhaar details are updated, Singh’s pension would be restored.

Meanwhile, in Bigar village, another resident, Harpal Singh, is battling an equally unusual error. He recently received a call from the Social Welfare Department informing him that his “unmarried pension” had been approved — a scheme reserved only for single individuals. The problem: Harpal is married, has two children and lives with his joint family.

“According to government files, I’m unmarried. But in real life, I have a wife and two school-going kids,” Harpal said. Despite his wife’s name being listed on his Aadhaar, ration card and Family ID, officials have asked him to obtain a marriage certificate to correct the records. The requirement has forced him into multiple rounds of office visits, adding to his frustration.

Both cases have sparked public anger, raising questions about the accuracy of Haryana’s digital governance system and the accountability of officials tasked with protecting citizens’ rights.