Nonagenarian struggles to get pension of just Rs 400

Corruption and insensitivity in bureaucracy has stooped to such a level that they hardly can see sufferings of people. In an heart-rending incident, a Ninety-five-year-old woman is running from pillar to posts in government offices since last fourteen months after her pension was stopped without assigning any reasons.

MS Gowramma, resident of the Bannimantap is the unfortunate poor widow striving hard to get the pension of Rs 400. She is fed-up over a year knocking on the doors of Tahsildar Office and DC office seeking for pension. But the officials seem to have completely turned blind eye by simply ignoring her.

Being deaf, with severe intumescence in legs, she walks for about five kilometers seeking pension. But, she is turned back repeatedly as the officers refuse her request for pension.

Gowramma lost her husband two decades ago. Among six children (four boys and two girls), she has even lost her three elder sons and her married daughters are settled far away. Right now, she is residing with her last son’s wife at Bannimantap. Her last son addicted to alcohol has deserted mother and wife. She said from last 14 months she has not obtained her pension, whereas earlier she was receiving.

She says, “When I paid visit to Thasildar office seeking pension, they asked me to visit DC's office. If I come here they ask me to visit Tahsildar office. I am totally confused whats happening with me. Why the officers wont understand my ageism problem. I am not even a position to come in bus, as the officers ask me to visit repeatedly. If I spend the money for my travel, then what the use in getting pension. I request the officials to release my pension amount at the earliest.”

Deputy Commissioner PS Vastrad said that “when the women visits  office next time, I will collect the details of her and ask the Thasildar to look into the issue.”

Tahsildar Naveen Joseph said that “old pension has been stopped from past few months to weed out fake pensioners and the issue will be set it out shortly. People have been asked to visit the nearby zonal offices for clarifications,” he added.