Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Feb 15: Old age, widows and handicapped persons today staged protest demonstration demanding the release of pension in their favour which is lying pending for last more than one year.
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Scores of such beneficiaries assembled here in the Press Enclave and alleged that due to the non-serious attitude of the administration, particularly the Social Welfare Department they are facing difficulties in sustaining.
“After nobody paid any attention to our woes, we were forced to come here to raise our issues. This protest is of the aged widows, aged person including those who are handicapped; our pension that we were getting from the Government has not been released for last more than one year,” said Ali Muhammad Jan, an old age pensioner from Pulwama.
He said that in January last year there were some technical issues when it all was made online. Due to the technical fault, which he said, has not been rectified till date, they are not getting the pensions released in their favour.
“In order to raise our issues at relevant platforms, we met with the Governor’s Advisor, Director Social Welfare, Deputy Commissioner Pulwama, Social Welfare Officer, Pulwama, but our issue continues to remain as it was,” he said.
The old-aged persons said that due to non-release of pensions they are facing hardships. “Even after the passage of more than one year now, the pension is not being released in our favour, due to which, we have to face tremendous difficulties in sustaining the life. We have to have money for the medicines along with other needs that we have,” they said
While saying that nobody has bothered to resolve their issues and have only made them to run from pillar to post, they said: “We have been raising our concerns with the concerned authorities, but when they did not care and did not bother to resolve our issues, we were forced to resort to protest here, hoping that our issues will be resolved,” they added.
The aggrieved pensioners appealed the higher-ups to intervene into the matter and put end to their woes once for all. “We are appealing the Lieutenant Governor and the Social Welfare Department not make us suffer for the want to money which is rightfully ours and do the needful in getting the same released without any further delay,” they demanded.
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