Ishtiyaq Ahmad
Early Times Report
Srinagar, Apr 6: The state government's announcement to increase monthly pension for various social welfare schemes has proved a joke for the beneficiaries of these schemes.
In the last budget, the government announced Rs 1000 monthly pension for widows and physically challenged persons, who are presently getting Rs 200 from one of the schemes of the state and Rs 500 from a central scheme.
However, despite that there has been no increase in pensions of widows, old age persons and physically challenged persons.
"There has been no increase in our monthly pensions. Government's announcement in the budget last year seems a cruel joke for us," Zoona, a widow and an old age pensioner of the SWD said. "The government had said funds were earmarked to increase our pensions but where has these funds gone," she added.
An official of SWD said government could not increase their monthly pension due to lack of funds.
"The department has not much resource available to increase their monthly pensions. It will require around Rs 250 crore to increase their monthly pension to Rs 1000. Once we receive funds from the government, we will increase their monthly pensions," the official said.
There has also been a surge in number of widows, differently abled and old age pension cases in the state with around two lakh cases waiting for the disposal with the SWD.
Haleema Begum has registered her name with the SWD last year, seeking widow pension from the government but still waits for clearance of her case.
"I have registered my name with the SWD for pension case since I have no source of income, but officials told me they could not clear my case due to non availability of funds," she said.
She says since the death of her husband two years ago, she has been pursuing the case to receive widow pension. "So far all my efforts have proved futile as I have received no relief from the government," Haleema said.
According to the official figures there are around 2,00,000 cases of widows, old age pension and other cases waiting for the disposal with the SWD.
The details reveal that over 1,10,000 such cases are pending in Kashmir and 90,000 in Jammu region.
Official sources said the state government has sought immediate releasing of funds as there has been surge in number of widows, differently abled and old age pension cases in the state.
"The successive governments had raised this issue with New Delhi but the funds are yet to be released," a senior official of SWD said.
Officials said the department is presently providing pensions to around 5 lakh widows and old age persons in the state.
It has been learnt that central government has withhold funds in some schemes after it was found that there had been no checks in their implementation. "The union government has expressed concern over misusing of schemes in the state and the department has been told to give details about fund utilization to the central government," the official said.
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