We have not got pension for past 4 months: Differently-abled

“Rs 1,000 is the monthly allowance for us. However, we are having a hard time in getting the amount from the banks as no fixed time or date has been laid down to receive it,” said TMN Deepak Nathan, president of December 3 Movement. 

“For the past four months, we have not got the money. The banks outsource the work to private agencies. The agencies mostly call us to inaccessible places to collect the amount. Sometime, they even siphon off our pension. We want the pension amount to be deposited directly into our bank accounts,” he added. 

A representation by them to the Secretary of Department Social Welfare and Nutritious Meal has not elicited a response. 

Deepak further said, “The monthly allowance was regularised last year. Earlier, the rules for getting the pension amount was stringent. Now, the eligibility is that the person must be 40 per cent differently abled, which was 60 per cent before the change.” 

Moreover, the term ‘employment’ has not be clearly defined by the government in its order for issuance of the welfare pension for the differently abled. 

“A government staff cannot be equated with a person employed in a private firm for meagre salary or self-employed person. We need clarity on this issue as our members incur more costs to lead a normal life,” concluded Deepak.