Disabled await their pension

KOCHI: They are helpless and an unhappy lot. The disabled persons are yet to receive the pension of  Rs. 400 per person, allotted by the state government. Their woes are increasing as the local bodies are passing the buck to the government. The pension scheme was even included in the Chief Minister’s 100-day action plan and the authorities promised that the arrears would be paid to the beneficiaries before Onam. But it is learnt that no measures have been taken in this regard so far. During the term of the previous government, the pension amount was hiked from Rs. 300 to Rs. 400. But the then government hardly took measures to ensure that the amount was paid to the beneficiaries. “This is our only means of livelihood. We have been deprived of it,” said V K Sasidharan, Treasurer, Differently Abled Persons Welfare Federation (DAWF). “Our pleas are falling on deaf ears,” he said.When the DAWF State Committee approached  Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, he promised them that they would receive the arrears before Onam. “But no measures were taken so far by the authorities,” Sasidharan said.He said that apart from the Chief Minister  the members had also approached other authorities in the Welfare Department. “Most of them said that they did not receive any orders from the higher authorities,” he said. However, the municipal authorities said that the amount had already been released. “When we received the orders to release the pension fund, we took immediate steps to issue it. We have already sent the amount as money orders. The delay might have occurred at the postal department due to the Onam rush, said Thrikkakara municipality chairman P I Muhammad Ali.He said that the amount till the month of August would have been released.  “I do not know the exact details of the amount,” he said.