Hopes of Pension Aspirants Soar, Short Deadline Causing Anxiety

Kurnool: AP government’s decision to invite fresh applications for social security pensions has kindled hope within thousands of eligible beneficiaries. But they believe the deadline of September 17 for filing applications is too short for securing the mandatory certificates and documents.

Officials estimate that more than two lakh people across Andhra Pradesh could apply for new pensions.

Hundreds of elderly persons, widows, and persons with disabilities have started queuing up at the Swarna Gram and Swarna Ward secretariats from Monday, September 7, to submit their applications.

“I lost my husband recently. I have applied for his death certificate but have not received it yet. If I do not get the certificate before September 17, I am worried that I may lose the pension,” said K. Shobharani of Kowthalam mandal, who lost her husband to illness.

Applicants are saying Swarna Gram secretariats are insisting on freshly issued certificates. They are not entertaining income certificates issued just three months ago. “Getting an income certificate takes considerable time. We have to make repeated trips to the secretariat and revenue offices,” another applicant asked.

Another difficulty is that in between, there are holidays. September 12 is the second Saturday, September 13 a Sunday, and September 14 is a holiday on account of Vinayaka Chavithi. Applicants say the three consecutive holidays would leave them with very little time to obtain the required certificates.

P. Veerabhadrudu of Khajipet mandal in Kadapa district, who became disabled following an accident three months ago, is worried about obtaining a disability certificate. “I need a Sadarem certificate to obtain the disability certificate. But I need to get a slot first. It is not possible to complete all these formalities within a few days,” he said.

More than 4,000 applications have reportedly been submitted in Kurnool, Nandyal and Kadapa districts over the past two days. Officials estimate that the number of potential applicants in these three districts could be between 30,000 and 40,000.

“We request the government to extend the deadline by at least another week, so that genuine beneficiaries are not denied pensions merely because they could not obtain certificates in time,” a pension applicant said.

At present, the government provides Rs 4,000 a month to old-aged persons and widows, Rs 6,000 to the disabled, and Rs 10,000 to those who are confined to bed.

“Those who do not submit the applications with the necessary certificates by September 17 can apply during the next phase,” an official said.

For many who have been waiting for pensions, the latest opportunity has therefore turned into a race against time. “We have waited for years for the pension. Now, we are running from one office to another for certificates. The government should give us some more time,” said a person who is yet to gather his certificates.