Srinagar January 24 (KNS): The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference State Women's wing President Shameema Firdous on Wednesday lamented withholding & reduction of monthly pension to disabled and other vulnerable sections, saying the measure has thrown the beneficiaries into dire straits.
Denouncing the measure, Shameema said, "J&K administration is leaving no effort to harass the handicapped people. “For years we were demanding enhancement of the disability pension from Rs 1000 to Rs 3000 but instead of enhancing this meager financial assistance they have stopped it too. On one hand Govt says that it is their ancient tradition, civilizational duty, and 'Sanskar' to care for the elderly, provide them with social security, and extend support to vulnerable sections but on the other hand they make the beneficiaries suffer. In Srinagar alone over 44,000 elderly, widows, and divorcees live on this small pension. Earlier the beneficiaries mostly elderly and disabled were forced to rush from one government office to another to get requisite documents such as Domicile Certificate, Age Certificate, Aadhaar, and Disability Certificate to register them on the SUGAM portal to avail of the social welfare pension scheme but after the passage of several months they didn’t get the pension."she said.
Lamenting the callous attitude of the Social Welfare Department and the LG administration, Shameema called for early release of the pension to the beneficiaries.
She also demanded enhancement of the monthly pension to the beneficiaries in view of the skyrocketing prices of the medicines, and other household items.(KNS)