Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 10: In a grave injustice, Government has failed to provide pension to over 2.1 lakh registered persons under different Social Security Schemes. Moreover, it has yet not honoured its announcement regarding enhancement of honorarium of Anganwari workers and helpers.
These facts came to the fore during the reply furnished by Social Welfare Minister to CPM MLA Mohd Yousuf Tarigami in the Lower House during the Question Hour.
According to the figures of the Social Welfare Department, a total of 2,13,674 persons registered with the department have not been given pension under National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) and Integrated Social Security Scheme (ISSS)
It is pertinent to mention here that NSAP has three components-Indira Gandhi National Old Age Scheme (IGNOAPS), Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme (IGNWPS) and Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme (IGNOPS). Similarly, ISSS has three components one each for old age, widow and disabled.
A total of 85616 persons registered under IGNOAPS, 5462 registered under IGNWPS, 3249 under IGNOPS, 60722 under old age, 28042 under widow and 30583 under disabled categories are not getting pension although there are duly registered with the Social Welfare Department. In addition to these, there are 11921 pending cases under National Family Benefit Scheme in the State.
Though the Minister stated that the matter regarding clearance of pending cases under NASP and ISSS has been taken up with Union Government and State Finance Department but he failed to specify any time-frame for release of pension.
When asked about status of the sanction and release of additional Rs 500 each to Anganwari worker and helper per month as announced by him, the Minister for Social Welfare said, “the proposal in this regard is under examination in the department for its implementation”. He, however, failed to inform the House about the time-frame within which the announcement will be translated into reality.
About reasons for stagnation denying promotional avenues to Supervisors, the Minister said that promotion of the Supervisors to the next level-Assistant Child Development Project Officers is being made from time to time depending upon the availability of number of posts.
“The stagnation is due to less number of posts sanctioned by the Government of India. However, the Supervisors are provided time bound in-situ promotions in terms of SRO-14 of 1998, which somehow addresses the problem of stagnation by grade promotion”, the Minister said.
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