Local self-government department all set to correct Kudumbashree pension list

Thiruvananthapuram: A couple of months after the Kudumbashree social welfare pension survey, the LSG Department is taking steps to correct the beneficiary list. The survey that Kudumbashree carried out to ascertain the number of pensioners who wanted money to be delivered at home, could not cover all the beneficiaries in the list. Take the case of Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, in which close to 10,000, of the over 60,000 beneficiaries could not be contacted.

Many would have shifted to another ward, or would be in a new ward, because of redefining of ward circles, according to R Geetha Gopal, Welfare Standing Committee Chairperson. “They would have preferred it to be delivered to the bank, as they can withdraw it from anywhere,” she says. The new self-declaration forms will also help weed out some of the undeserving beneficiaries. “Some would be drawing widow pensions, even though they may have remarried. There are also cases where old age pensions are being paid into the accounts of people who have already passed away. After the Kudumbashree survey was announced, many approached the Corporation pointing out these errors,” says Geetha Gopal.

In the case of widows and women separated from their husbands, every year they had to present a document which attested to the fact that they had not remarried, she says. The new forms will be available at the respective wards, and should be submitted by November 30, with copies of the Aadhar card. No additional fees need to be remitted to take the form home.