As never before, social security pensions for nearly 40 lakh beneficiaries in the State are delayed by more than two weeks this month, making them go round post offices, banks and gram panchayat offices everyday, only to be told that the money will be credited to their accounts this day or that.
Usually, pensions are distributed in person in gram panchayat offices in villages and credited to bank and post office accounts in urban areas by the sixth of every month. But, money payable for August did not happen so far this month. Inquiries with government officials revealed that the funds were not released by the Finance Department.
There are nearly 40 lakh aged, widows, single women, physically handicapped, poor weavers, HIV and filaria patients who received pensions of ₹2,016 a month. As they did not have money in their hands, they found it difficult to pay for their daily needs.
