Although the Social Welfare Department (SWD) has consistently claimed to assist impoverished pensioners, widows, and others, the practical results on the ground tell a different story. Many destitute pensioners are struggling to complete the necessary formalities to reinstate their pensions. A significant number of vulnerable individuals, including the elderly, widows, divorcees, distressed women, transgender individuals, and persons with disabilities, have been facing immense challenges as the department has failed to release their meagre monthly pensions since February of this year. For some individuals, especially those facing age-related challenges and disabilities, a pension is their sole means of survival. Even a modest pension can provide significant financial support to a person trying to make ends meet in today’s complex world. Initially, securing a pension is a daunting task, given the numerous clearances and paperwork involved. In a region like ours, which has been affected by terrorism, keeping all records up-to-date is a herculean endeavour. The process becomes even more cumbersome because every year, pensioners must provide an annual life certificate. For elderly individuals with multiple medical issues, meeting the prerequisites for uninterrupted pension payments can be extremely challenging. Additionally, many pensioners have relocated with their families, either within different States or Union Territories or even abroad. Coming back every year for verification is not easy for them, nor is it practical for pensioners residing outside the country.
The recent pension-related order is perplexing. This re-verification process has been neglected for several years. But why should old pensioners be made scapegoats for this now? This new order is particularly concerning for elderly people, persons with disabilities, and some bedridden people who are physically unable to undergo verification. In practical terms, the Social Welfare Department has been struggling to manage the verification of pensioners numbering in the lakhs. Adequate staff and resources are essential for this process, but despite over a year since its notification for verification, the department has repeatedly failed to address these issues. Allowing elderly pensioners to suffer in their old age is not a compassionate approach, especially when the administration has already removed many such obstacles in the recent past.
The essence of any Government scheme should be to benefit the public, but it appears that the Social Welfare Department may not have given this due consideration. It’s important to recognise that not everyone is tech-savvy, and expecting such technological proficiency from underprivileged members of society may be unreasonable. While it’s true that the Government does periodically organise camps to help individuals obtain Aadhaar and Domicile certificates, the additional requirements of getting forms attested by various officials, such as the TSO, councillor, BPL ration card, age certificate, disability certificate, and so on, can indeed be a time-consuming and resource-intensive process. The situation is exacerbated by the fact that these designated officers are often unavailable, even at the organised camps. Organising camps becomes futile when the concerned officers are not available to provide the necessary signatures and support. The online registration site SUGAM also appears to have its own set of issues, as alleged by the people. Currently, there are multiple challenges faced by affected individuals in obtaining the required documents. Even if they manage to gather the necessary documents, the SUGAM portal’s malfunctioning adds to their woes. When they approach the camps organised by the Social Welfare Department, they find that officers are not readily available to assist.
Someone within the administration needs to take responsibility for setting things in order. If there are issues with the SUGAM portal, they should be rectified promptly, and the availability of officers should be ensured on specific days, with this information widely circulated to the pensioners to facilitate the process. Pensioners have already been without their pensions since February and urgently require relief. This pensioner’s ordeal must end. Higher authorities must intervene and address this long-standing issue.
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