Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 4: Councillors of Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) have demanded revocation of J&K Government order number 156 JK (SWD) of 2022 dated 08-09-2022 issued by Social Welfare Department regarding pension of widows, old age persons and physically challenged people.
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In a press conference here today many BJP and Independent Councillors said that the order number 156 JK (SWD) of 2022 should be revoked and pensions in favour of widows, physically challenged and old age persons should be released.
“As per order no. 156 JK (SWD) of 2022 new rules under Integrated Social Security Scheme have been framed wherein for the purpose of availing financial assistance, PHH/AAY ration cards have been made mandatory for existing beneficiaries and they have to apply online for re-sanctioning of pension cases. More than 90 per cent beneficiaries in Jammu city are having NPHH ration cards and they will be debarred from these benefits because FCS & CA Department has stopped bifurcation of ration cards and the process of preparation of PHH ration cards is very slow,” Chander Mohan Gupta, former Mayor said.
He further informed that there are about one lakh and six thousand pension cases in Jammu district out of which only 65,000 persons have applied and out of these only 44,000 have completed forms.
“Income slab for beneficiaries of Delhi UT is one lakh per annum and amount of pension there is Rs. 2500 per month,” Gupta maintained.
Independent Councillor and member of Social Justice Standing Committee, Sham Lal Basson said that it is embarrassing to ask a widow of 75 years or more to produce widow and non-remarriage certificate. “Physically challenged, widows and old age persons have to visit hospitals for age proof at a time when Aadhar card is a valid document for age proof,” he said adding: “Social Justice Standing Committee of JMC has organised many meetings under the chairmanship of Subash Sharma and have submitted memorandum for Prime Minister, J&K LG and Commissioner Secretary to Social Welfare Department but nothing has been done in this regard so far.”
BJP Councillor, Pawan Singh informed that widows, physically challenged and old age persons are facing a lot of problems to produce documents for re-sanctioning of pensions which is a big injustice to them and resubmission of documents for existing pension cases is not justified.
“Some elderly persons don’t have domicile certificates. Deputation of Social Justice Committee also met twice to Ram Dass Athawle, Union MoS for Social Justice and Empowerment and submitted him a memorandum but has been done in this regard so far,” he maintained.
The Councillors requested Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, J&K LG and chief secretary that order no. 156 JK (SWD) of 2022 should be revoked so that the existing beneficiaries may not be debarred from pension benefits because it is not easy for them to produce PHH/AAY ration cards.
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