Bommanapally Radhamma, in early 30s, is from Achampet in Nagarkurnool district. She has two girl children aged three years and five years. Her husband, Mallaiah, a farmer, committed suicide about three years ago by consuming pesticide. The land was not on his name. She applied for widow pension and is moving around mandal and district offices since then.
M. Parujatha, in her late 30s, is from Chitlamgutna village in Nagarkurnool district. Her husband Tirupataiah died of ill health about one-and-a-half years ago. She has two children - one boy and girl - aged 15 and nine years. She too applied for widow pension but officials told her that even the people who applied for the same before her are yet to get them and that they themselves do not know when they will be sanctioned.
These two cases are a tip of the iceberg in regard to pending pensions that are yet to be released by the State government for all those eligible.
It is being stated that for the past three years a large number of pensions are pending for the reasons best known to the government.
Along with several others from neighbouring districts, the eligible pensioners came all the way travelling for about 150 kms to Hyderabad so that their voices can be heard by the people in power.
“The government promised to issue pensions to all those eligible but when we meet officials, they tell us that we are eligible, but are not sanctioning us the same. When we insist, they tell us: Do you want us to pay from our pocket?” said Radhamma and Parujatha along with others stating that their voice is not reaching Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao.
Aasara pensionla Sadhana Samithi organised a public hearing at Dharna Chowk near Indira Park on Monday in which about 30 people explained their problems.
“The system is not working the way it has to. From the deposition of all these people, we will prepare a report and submit it to the Chief Secretary requesting him to release the pensions. The number of people eligible for Aasara pensions in the State would be around 11 lakh if we take reduction of age to 57 years, a promise made by the Chief Minister in an election meeting into consideration. We will file a PIL if the government fails to respond,” said T. Gopal Rao, retired IAS officer, a jury member in the public hearing.
