Govt puts a cap on number of pensioners

The State government has issued an order fixing the taluk and district-wise numbers of beneficiaries of various pensions provided under the social security scheme. 

The Revenue department has also directed that explanations have to be offered and approval taken from the director of the Directorate of Social Security and Pensions, in case the number of applications exceeds the prescribed limit.  

The move is aimed at putting an end to the misuse of the pensions and is likely to bring down the number of beneficiaries of the Sandhya Suraksha scheme, the destitute widow pension, the disability pension and the national old age pension. 

There have been instances of a single person availing two pensions, pension amount being disbursed even after the death of the beneficiary as the death has not been intimated and disability pension being disbursed to those not eligible, states the order of the department.  
 Meanwhile, the Centre has decided to reduce the minimum age for availing the Indira Gandhi national old age pension from 65 to 60. This may lead to an increase in the number of beneficiaries of the pension, even as the State has fixed the number of beneficiaries under the pension scheme to 4,25,915. 

With 93,290 beneficiaries in the 60-64 age group availing widow pension and 5,968 senior citizens availing the disability pension, the number of actual beneficiaries of the old age pension scheme will have to be restricted to 3,28,657, according to documents available with Deccan Herald. Officials now have the task of restricting the number of beneficiaries of the old age scheme. They also have to fix the district-wise figures so as to prevent fake beneficiaries under the old age pension scheme. 

But the government’s move has drawn flak. Raja Bakshi, chairman of NGO feels that the move to fix the number of beneficiaries was wrong. “How can you say that there should be only a particular number of widows. If the number of senior citizens exceeds the limit, do you expect them to run from pillar to post to get approval?” he says. 

Instead, strict instructions should be issued to officials to trace ineligible beneficiaries. Action must be taken against officials who do not fall in line, he adds.